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PORTRAITS  AND  PORTRAIT 
PAINTING 


Works  of 


Estelle  M.  Hurll 


The  Madonna  in  Art 

$2.00 

Child  Life  in  Art 

2.00 

The  Bible  Beautiful 

2.50 

Portraits  and  Portrait 

Painting 

2.50 

L.  C.  Page  & Company 
New  England  Building,  Boston,  Mass, 


Louvre.  Paris] 


[Leonardo  da  Vinci 


PORTRAIT  OF  MONA  LISA 


(See  page  30) 


Portraits  and  Portrait 
Painting 

Bring  a Brief  Surbrg  of  portrait  Painting 
from  tijr  fHiOtiic  3grs  to  tijc  Present  Hag 


Copyright , iqo? 

By  L.  C.  Page  & Company 

(incorporated) 


All  rights  reserved 


First  impression,  September,  1907 


COLONIAL  PRESS 

Electrotyped  and  Printed  by  C.  H.  Simonds  Co. 
Boston , U.  S.  A . 


T© 

JW.  B. 


preface 

The  purpose  of  this  book  is  so  plain  as  to 
need  no  explanation:  it  is  a brief  survey  of 
portrait  painting  from  the  Middle  Ages  to 
the  present  day,  showing  what  has  been  con- 
tributed to  the  art  by  each  age  and  by  each 
nationality,  as  well  as  by  the  several  most 
notable  portrait  painters.  Something,  too,  is 
told  of  the  people  who  were  the  subjects  of 
famous  portraits.  Among  the  illustrations 
the  reader  will  find  some  familiar  favourites, 
and  also  some  interesting  pictures  which  have 
never  before  been  reproduced. 

Estelle  M.  Hurll. 

New  Bedford,  Mas*. 

July , 1907 


INTRODUCTORY 


ABOUT  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 

There  are,  no  doubt,  a great  many  people 
who  do  not  care  for  portraits,  even  people 
who  are  otherwise  fond  of  pictures.  What 
we  call  a good  story  picture  is  always  sure  to 
be  popular,  but  it  requires  some  effort  to  be- 
come interested  in  a portrait:  it  does  not 

appeal  so  directly  to  the  imagination.  There 
is,  indeed,  much  the  same  difference  between 
a portrait  and  a story  picture,  that  there  is 
between  a biography  and  a novel.  One  has 
to  do  chiefly  with  character,  and  the  other 
with  action.  The  biography  is  popularly 
regarded  as  dull  reading,  while  the  novel 
has  wide  circulation.  Now  and  again,  how- 
ever, a biography  is  written,  so  full  of  dra- 
matic incident  and  so  skilfully  related,  that  it 
compels  an  interest  beyond  the  most  fasci- 
nating novel.  So,  too,  here  and  there,  a por- 
trait has  been  painted  in  so  masterly  a way 


VI 


INTRODUCTORY 


that  it  tells  a story  more  interesting  than  an 
actual  illustration  — the  story  of  an  individ- 
ual life.  If  we  know  who  the  sitter  was,  and 
something  of  his  life,  so  much  the  better. 
But  even  the  portrait  of  an  “ unknown  ” may 
be  so  charged  with  meaning  that  it  will  ex- 
ercise a complete  fascination  for  us.  The 
great  portrait  master  writes  the  story  so 
plainly  in  the  face  that  the  picture  needs  no 
label.  So  Titian’s  Man  with  the  Glove, 
Rembrandt’s  nameless  gentleman  of  the 
Metropolitan  Museum,  Velasquez’s  Lady  with 
the  Fan,  appeal  to  us  more  powerfully  than 
many  of  the  identified  portraits  by  the  same 
masters. 

The  first  quality  of  great  portraiture, 
then,  is  the  power  to  reveal  the  inner  char- 
acter, or  story,  of  the  sitter.  It  is  said  that 
every  man  habitually  wears  a mask  in  the 
presence  of  his  fellows,  and  it  is  only  in  mo- 
ments of  unconsciousness  that  he  drops  it. 
The  great  portrait  painter  must  be  able  to 
discern  and  seize  the  true  self,  revealed  in 
instantaneous  flashes,  and  then  veiled.  Such 
an  artist, 


INTRODUCTORY 


Vll 


" Poring  on  a face, 

Divinely  through  all  hindrance  finds  the  man 
Behind  it,  and  so  paints  him  that  his  face, 

The  shape  and  colour  of  a mind  and  life, 

Lives  for  his  children,  ever  at  his  best  ” 1 

Interpretative  portrait  painting  first  found 
striking  exemplification  in  Leonardo  da 
Vinci,  and  reached  a superlative  degree  in  the 
Venetian  Lotto.  Probably  every  portrait 
painter  since,  however  far  from  attaining  his 
ideal,  has  set  himself  more  or  less  definitely 
to  this  aim.  To  attain  it  requires  something 
of  the  seer  as  well  as  the  artist,  and  a sensitive 
and  sympathetic  nature  as  well.  A painter’s 
gift  in  interpreting  life  is  great  in  proportion 
to  the  scope  of  his  sympathies.  Whistler’s 
power  was  remarkable  in  his  own  circle,  but 
his  radius  was  short,  while  Hals  and  Velasquez 
were  men  of  universal  sympathies.  Often 
the  personality  of  the  sitter  is  revealed  by 
his  direct  gaze  which  seems  to  take  us  into 
his  confidence.  Smiling  or  grave,  his  eyes 
seem  to  draw  us  with  a sense  of  “ intimacy  ” 
which  is  difficult  to  define.  We  get  this  qual- 

1 The  lines  in  Elaine  in  which  Tennyson  embodied  the  ideas 
expressed  to  him  by  Watts  on  the  work  of  a portrait  painter. 


Vlll 


INTRODUCTORY 


ity  in  the  jovial  camaraderie  of  Hals,  the 
friendly  smile  of  Reynolds,  the  wistful  stare 
of  Rembrandt,  and  the  melancholy  appeal  of 
Morone.  At  other  times  the  sitter’s  glance 
is  averted,  and  he  is  quite  unaware  of  obser- 
vation. We  have  surprised  him  with  his 
expression  off  guard,  in  the  intimacy  of  his 
own  self-communion.  So  Titian  often  treated 
his  portrait  subjects. 

Obviously  the  noblest  form  of  character 
revelation  is  idealization.  When  the  painter 
can  show  what  a man’s  soul  is  capable  of 
attaining,  he  fulfils  the  highest  function  of  his 
art.  This  was  the  special  glory  of  Titian 
and  Van  Dyck,  and  not  infrequently  Reyn- 
olds and  Gainsborough  touched  this  mark. 
In  our  day  no  one  has  done  so  much  in  this 
way  as  George  Frederick  Watts. 

Combined  with  psychological  insight  is  a 
second  equally  important  quality  of  the  por- 
trait painter,  the  power  to  give  lifelikeness 
to  a sitter.  In  the  great  portrait  the  blood 
seems  fairly  coursing  through  the  veins.  We 
seem  to  be  looking  at  a breathing  human 
being,  not  a picture;  we  have  the  sense  of  a 


INTRODUCTORY 


IX 


real  presence.  This  is  what  we  call  vitality. 
It  has  to  do  with  the  physical,  as  the  other  has 
to  do  with  the  psychical.  Vitality  does  not, 
however,  require  motion  or  even  excessive 
animation.  In  the  early  military  groups  by 
Frans  Hals  the  figures  are  so  alive  that  they 
almost  walk  out  of  their  frames.  The  quality 
is  not  sufficiently  restrained;  the  sitters  do 
not  properly  keep  their  place.  It  is  possible 
to  produce  an  effect  of  perfect  lifelikeness  in 
repose,  as  Velasquez  did  in  his  incomparable 
portraits  of  Philip  IV. 

To  what  degree  the  likeness  should  be 
counted  an  essential  of  portrait  painting  is 
a matter  of  varying  opinion.  As  the  original 
purpose  of  portraiture,  in  fact,  the  raison 
d’etre,  it  has  always  been  an  ostensible,  if  not 
a real  object  of  the  painter.  In  the  begin- 
nings of  the  art  there  was  so  little  skill  that 
the  sitter  and  his  friends  were  easily  satisfied. 
It  was  half  the  battle  to  copy  the  costume 
accurately.  If  the  leading  peculiarities  of  the 
features  were  suggested,  the  resemblance  was 
considered  a marvel.  With  the  advancement 
of  technique  a more  photographic  accuracy 


X 


INTRODUCTORY 


was  expected,  such  as  we  have  in  Ghirlandajo 
and  the  Van  Eycks.  It  was  a still  later 
development  of  the  art  to  adapt  the  portrait 
to  purely  artistic  ends,  to  make  it  first  of  all 
a picture.  This  was  the  primary  aim  of  the 
Venetians,  with  whom  decorative  ensemble 
was  of  supreme  interest.  With  such  a point 
of  view  the  resemblance  was  often  neglected. 
As  a critic  has  wittily  remarked,  “ Titian, 
Rembrandt  and  Rubens  often  executed  a 
fantasia  on  the  motif  of  the  person  painted. 
...  It  was  in  the  cause  of  beauty  that  these 
great  artists  sacrificed  the  accurate  map  of 
the  features  that  pleases  family  friends,  and 
the  profusion  of  hard  accessories  that  minister 
to  family  pride.,, 

In  the  reproduction  of  facial  topography 
the  schools  of  Northern  Europe  excelled. 
The  minute  realism  of  the  fifteenth  century 
Flemings  was  carried  over  into  the  German 
portraiture  of  the  next  century,  as  exempli- 
fied in  Diirer  and  Holbein.  In  the  Dutch 
school  of  the  seventeenth  century  this  tendency 
reached  the  climax,  Rembrandt  making  the 
only  notable  exception  to  the  rule.  Velasquez 


INTRODUCTORY 


xi 


had  a way  of  his  own  in  securing  the  likeness, 
not  by  the  minute  imitation  of  detail,  but  by 
a perfect  reproduction  of  the  total  impression. 

In  a general  way,  usually  somewhat 
loosely,  portrait  painters  are  distinguished  as 
subjective  or  objective,  according  as  they  put 
most  of  themselves  or  their  sitters  into  the 
picture.  If  the  subjective  element  is  some- 
thing to  be  desired,  the  painter  is  the  more 
eagerly  sought  after,  especially  by  those  con- 
scious of  their  own  lack.  It  is  as  if  he  had  a 
princely  gift  to  bestow.  Nobility  and  distinc- 
tion were  conferred  by  Titian  and  Van  Dyck; 
grace  and  charm  by  the  French  and  English 
schools  of  the  eighteenth  century.  On  the  other 
hand,  men  like  Holbein,  Frans  Hals,  and 
Velasquez,  utterly  lost  themselves  in  their 
subjects,  giving  themselves  up  wholly  to  their 
impressions.  Their  work  stood  outside  them- 
selves, as  if  they  had  merely  held  the  brush 
for  an  external  motive  force  to  wield. 

In  the  history  of  portraiture  it  is  curious  to 
notice  that  what  was  one  man’s  limitation 
was  another’s  opportunity.  With  Van  Dyck 
and  Nattier  the  constant  reiteration  of  the 


Xll 


INTRODUCTORY 


same  subject,  or  class  of  subjects,  became  me- 
chanical. They  were  content  to  repeat  them- 
selves to  the  point  of  mannerism,  and  lost  the 
ambition  to  grow.  Velasquez  and  Rembrandt 
found  a single  model  an  inexhaustible  field  of 
study.  A liftime  was  not  long  enough  for 
them  to  devote  to  the  multitudinous  varia- 
tions which  one  figure  could  suggest. 

Again  it  is  curious  that  while  some  men 
were  distinctly  the  product  of  their  time, 
others  seemed  born  out  of  due  season.  Titian 
came  at  the  climax  of  Venetian  art,  to  epito- 
mize the  best  of  its  characteristic  qualities. 
Velasquez  came  two  hundred  years  ahead  of 
time,  and  struck  out  lines  which  his  prede- 
cessors never  dreamed  of.  The  environment 
of  Titian  and  Holbein,  of  Rubens  and  Van 
Dyck,  shaped  in  a measure  the  character  of 
their  work,  but  other  painters  seemed  to  have 
no  relation  to  their  surroundings.  It  was 
matter-of-fact  Holland  which  produced  the 
most  visionary  of  painters,  Rembrandt;  and 
Spain,  the  land  of  romantic  adventure, 
brought  forth  the  most  naturalistic,  Velas- 
quez. 


introductory 

So  through  the  whole  range  of  great  por- 
trait painting,  we  find  many  temperaments, 
and  many  types  of  work.  No  single  painter 
united  in  himself  all  the  qualities  of  greatness, 
but  all  are  needed  to  show  the  perfect  ideal 
of  the  art  which  is  as  many  sided  as  human 

nature  itself. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

Preface  iii 

Introductory  .......  v 

I.  The  Development  of  Portrait  Painting 

in  Italy 1 

II.  Italian  Portrait  Painting  in  the  Six- 
teenth Century 26 

III.  The  Venetian  Portrait  School  : Early 

Group  . 44 

IV.  Titian  and  the  Later  Venetians  . . 60 

V.  The  Development  of  Portrait  Painting 

in  the  Netherlands 83 

VI.  Albert  Durer  as  a Portrait  Painter  . 96 

VII.  The  Portraits  of  Holbein  ....  110 
VIII.  Rubens  as  a Portrait  Painter  . . . 125 

IX.  The  Portraits  of  Van  Dyck  . . . 144 

X.  Dutch  Portrait  Painting  and  the  Cor- 
poration Groups 168 

XI.  Frans  Hals  and  Rembrandt  . . . 186 

XII.  Three  Centuries  of  French  Portrait 

Painting 207 

XIII.  Velasquez  at  the  Court  of  Philip  IV  . 227 

XIV.  The  English  Portrait  School  . . . 252 

XV.  Some  Examples  of  Modern  Portrait  Paint- 

ING 273 

Index 301 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Leonardo  da  Vinci. — Portrait  of  Mona  Lisa(6V<?  page 

30)  .......  Frontispiece 

Louvre , Paris 

Benozzo  Gozzoli Portrait  of  Lorenzo  de’  Medici 

(Detail  of  Fresco) 9 

Riccardi  Palace , Florence 


Botticelli.  — Portrait  of  Unknown  Youth 
National  Gallery , London 

Ghirlandajo.  — Portrait  of  Giovanna  Tornabuoni 
Private  Collection 

Ambrogio  de  Predis. — Portrait  of  Bianca  Sforza(?) 
Ambrosiana , Milan 

Ambrogio  de  Predis.  — Portrait  of  Giangaleazzo 

Sanseverino  (?) 

Ambrosiana,  Milan 

Raphael.  — Portrait  of  Julius  II 

Pitti  Gallery , Florence 

Raphael.  — Portrait  of  Joanna  of  Aragon 
Louvre , Paris 

Bronzino.  — Portrait  of  Don  Garcia  .... 
Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence 

Bellini.  — Portrait  of  Doge  Loredano  . 

National  Gallery,  London 

Lotto.  — Portrait  of  Unknown  Lady  (Laura  da  Pola?)  . 
Brer  a Gallery , Milan 


10 

14 

23 

24 
35 
39 
42 
48 
56 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAOK 

Titian.  — Portrait  of  Himself 61 

Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence 

Titian.  — Portrait  of  La  Bella  .....  70 

Fitti  Gallery , Florence 

Paris  Bordone.  — Portrait  of  a Boy  ...  74 

Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence 

Tintoretto.  — Portrait  of  the  Architect  Sansovino  . 76 

Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence 

Morone.  — Portrait  of  a Little  Girl  ....  80 

Carrara  Gallery,  Bergamo 

Van  Eyck.  — The  Man  with  the  Pinks  ...  88 

Berlin  Gallery 

Memling. — Portrait  of  an  Unknown  Man  . . .92 

Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence 

Durer. — Portrait  of  Oswald  Krel  ....  101 

Munich  Gallery 

Durer.  — Portrait  of  Hieronymus  Holzschuher  . . 107 

Berlin  Gallery 

Holbein.  — Portrait  of  Erasmus 114 

Louvre , Paris 

Holbein.  — Portrait  of  Anne  of  Cleves  . . .122 

Louvre , Paris 

Rubens. — Portrait  of  Helena  Fourment  . . .141 

M useuni , A ms  ter  da  m 

Rubens.  — Portrait  of  Himself 142 

Uffizi  Gallery , Florence 

Van  Dyck. — Portrait  of  Count  Brignole  -Sala  (Detail)  148 
Palazzo  Rosso,  Genoa 

Van  Dyck.  — Portrait  of  Philippe  Le  Roy  (Detail)  . 150 

Wallace  Collection , London 

Van  Dyck Portrait  of  Madame  Le  Roy  (Detail)  152 

Wallace  Collection,  London 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Van  Dyck.  — Portrait  of  Prince  Charles  (Detail) 
Turin  Gallery 

Rembrandt.  — Group  of  Heads  from  Anatomy  Lesson 
Royal  Museum,  The  Hague 

Frans  Hals.  — Group  from  Banquet  of  St.  George 

Shooting  Guild  (1627) 

Town  Hall , Haarlem 

Rembrandt.  — Portrait  of  Himself  in  Costume  . 

Cassel  Gallery 

Frans  Hals.  - The  Bohemian  Girl  . 

Louvre , Paris 

Frans  Hals — The  Laughing  Cavalier 

Wallace  Collection , London 

Rembrandt.  — Portrait  of  an  Old  Woman 
Hermitage , St.  Petersburg 

Clouet.  — Portrait  of  Elizabeth  of  Austria 
Louvre , Paris 

Nattier. — Portrait  of  Lady  in  Blue  . 

Wallace  Collection , London 

Madame  Vig£e  Le  Brun. — Portrait  of  Her  Daughter 
Bologna  Gallery 

Velasquez.  — Portrait  of  the  Princess  Margaret  . 

Louvre , Pa?'is 

Velasquez. — Portrait  of  Philip  IV  (Old). 

National  Gallery , London 

Reynolds.  — Child  with  Kitten 

Reynolds — Lady  Cockburn  and  Her  Children  . 

National  Gallery , London 

Gainsborough. — Portrait  of  Mrs.  Siddons  (Detail) 
National  Gallery , London 

Romney.  — Portrait  of  Mrs.  Robinson  .... 
Wallace  Collection , London 


PACK 

l6o 

173 

175 

190 

I96 

I98 

201 

210 

218 

225 

245 

249 

257 

259 

265 

266 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Lawrence. — Portrait  of  Lady  Peel  ....  270 

Bonnat.  — Portrait  of  Himself  .....  274 

Uffizi  Gallery , Florence 

Watts.  — Portrait  of  Mrs.  Percy  Windham  . . 284 

Collection  of  Hon.  Percy  Windham , Salisbury  ^ Eng. 

Whistler.  — Portrait  of  Carlyle.  ....  290 

Corporation  Gallery , Glasgow 

Sargent.  — Portrait  of  Edwin  Booth  ....  297 

Players  Club , New  York 


PORTRAITS  AND 
PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 
IN  ITALY 

T is  impossible  to  put  one’s  finger 
upon  a definite  date  for  the  origin 
of  portrait  painting,  or  upon  any 
single  work  as  the  first  example  of  that  art. 
Portraiture  is  but  one  of  many  branches  of 
the  great  mother  art  of  painting,  and  was  a 
long  time  in  reaching  any  independent  status. 
The  original  purposes  of  painting,  it  must  be 
remembered,  were  distinctly  religious.  It  was 
solely  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  edifica- 
tion of  the  faithful,  that  the  first  Christian 
artists  painted  their  crude  pictures  on  the 
damp  walls  of  the  catacombs.  Bible  story 


2 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


and  sacred  allegory  were  the  chosen  subjects. 
It  was  not  till  the  next  stage  of  art  history 
that  something  like  a portrait  element  ap- 
pears. Now  we  have  the  oft  repeated  figures 
of  the  apostles  Peter  and  Paul,  so  strongly 
characterized  that  they  seem  to  have  been  de- 
rived from  some  actual  likeness.  St.  Chrysos- 
tom, indeed,  alludes  to  a portrait  of  St.  Paul, 
hanging  in  his  chamber,  and  this  was  in  the 
fourth  century.  In  the  wonderful  old  mosaics 
of  S.  Vitale,  Ravenna,  are  the  full  length  por- 
traits of  the  contemporary  Emperor  Justinian, 
and  the  Empress  Theodora,  engaged  in  the 
ceremony  of  dedicating  the  church.  The  em- 
peror is  accompanied  by  the  Archbishop 
Maximian,  and  many  court  attendants.  Stiff 
and  formal  enough  are  these  groups  of  splen- 
did creatures,  not  very  much  like  the  originals, 
we  may  suppose,  and  executed  in  the  style 
borrowed  from  the  Byzantine  art.  We  must 
wait  a little  longer  for  portrait  beginnings  of 
a more  modern  spirit. 

As  we  pass  out  of  the  middle  ages  into  the 
thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries,  we  come 
to  the  so-called  founders  of  modem  painting. 


PAINTING  IN  ITALY 


3 


From  Florence  and  Siena  came  forth  a great 
company  of  painters  who  covered  the  walls 
of  churches  and  public  buildings  with  vast 
schemes  of  mural  decoration.  The  subjects 
were  still  largely  religious  and  allegorical,  and 
art,  under  the  surveillance  of  church  or  state, 
was  slow  to  introduce  any  innovations.  Yet 
the  opportunities  for  portraiture  gradually 
increased.  Quite  an  ambitious  attempt  in  this 
direction  is  seen  at  Siena,  in  Ambrogio  Lo- 
renzetti’s  great  allegorical  decoration  of  the 
Palazzo  Pubblico.  The  subject  is  Good  and 
Pad  Government,  and  in  the  lower  portion  of 
the  composition  is  a long  procession  of  Sienese 
dignitaries  illustrating  the  results  of  the 
former. 

Religious  subjects  had  likewise  their  por- 
trait opportunities.  Occasionally  some  bold 
spirit  ventured  to  introduce  among  the  sacred 
personages  of  his  composition  a portrait  fig- 
ure of  a contemporary.  A pretty  compliment 
this,  to  a patron,  or  famous  personage  of  the 
day,  as  when  the  old  painter  in  the  Campo 
Santo  (Pisa)  introduces  the  Ghibelline  com- 
mander Uberti  in  scenes  in  the  life  of  Job. 


4 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Dante,  appearing  among  the  blessed  spirits 
in  the  Paradise  of  the  Bargello  fresco  (Flor- 
ence), and  Cimabue,  Gaddi,  and  Memmi, 
among  the  participants  in  the  Church  Mili- 
tant— that  famous  fresco  of  the  Spanish 
Chapel,  Florence  — are  among  our  most 
precious  legacies  from  this  period. 

Nor  were  single  portraits  by  this  time  alto- 
gether unheard  of.  Writers  of  that  age,  or  a 
little  later,  allude  to  portraits  of  Dante,  Boc- 
caccio, and  Petrarch,  and  Petrarch  himself 
makes  a great  ado  over  Simone  Memmi’s  por- 
trait of  Laura.  These  treasures  have  not  come 
down  to  us,  but  we  need  not  mourn  them.  The 
poet’s  sonnets  on  the  likeness  of  his  love 
would  be  sadly  discounted  by  any  such  coun- 
terfeit presentments  as  fourteenth  century  art 
could  produce.  The  best  the  painter  could 
do  at  this  stage  was  to  reproduce  some  pecu- 
liarity of  costume,  or  the  manner  of  wearing 
the  hair  or  beard.  He  knew  nothing  of 
characterization  as  we  now  understand  it. 
The  face  was  almost  always  drawn  in  profile, 
and,  like  the  eighteenth  century  silhouette, 
suggested  the  likeness  by  the  outline  of  fea- 


PAINTING  IN  ITALY 


5 


tures,  rather  than  by  anything  approaching 
expression.  The  nose  and  chin  were  the 
marks  of  identification,  and  there  was  a singu- 
lar sameness  even  in  the  types  of  nose  and 
chin.  The  Sienese  citizens  seem  to  have  been 
cast  in  the  same  mould,  with  almond  eyes, 
straight  noses,  expressionless  mouths  and 
pointed  chins. 

In  short,  the  fourteenth  century  Italian 
portrait  was  painted  like  another  form  of  the 
medal  which  came  into  vogue  in  the  same 
period  — a revival  of  the  ancient  art  so  es- 
teemed in  imperial  Rome.  Pisanello,  the 
greatest  of  the  medallists,  was  born  in  1380, 
and  worked  early  in  the  fifteenth  century  in 
the  employ  of  the  Duke  of  Ferrara.  His 
portrait  of  Leonello  d’Este  shows  the  fine 
modelling  characteristic  of  the  medallist’s 
art. 

Side  by  side  with  the  medallist’s  art  was 
developed  the  art  of  the  portrait  bust  which 
reached  such  perfection  in  the  mid  fifteenth 
century.  Sculpture  had  in  Italy,  as  in  an- 
cient Greece,  outrun  the  art  of  painting,  and 
in  no  way  more  strikingly  than  in  portraiture. 


6 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Such  works  as  Mino’s  bust  of  Bishop  Salu- 
tati,  and  Benedetto  da  Majano’s  Pietro 
Mellini,  uncompromisingly  realistic,  and  con- 
summately executed,  had  no  contemporary 
match  in  portrait  painting.  But  while  the 
actual  perfection  of  portrait  painting  was 
delayed  till  the  sixteenth  century,  the  evolu- 
tion of  the  art  in  the  preceding  period  is  of 
immense  interest. 

The  fifteenth-century  Italian  painting  is 
seen  in  its  most  characteristic  form  in  the 
great  religious  mural  decorations  which  con- 
verted the  walls  of  the  churches  into  mam- 
moth picture  books.  To  this  work  all  the 
painters  of  the  period  devoted  themselves: 
Masaccio,  Benozzo  Gozzoli,  the  two  Lippi, 
Botticelli,  Ghirlandajo,  Fra  Angelico,  Si- 
gnorelli, Cosimo  Roselli,  Perugino,  and  Pin- 
turicchio,  and  the  others  of  the  splendid  roll- 
call  of  the  Quattro  Cento.  Following  the 
methods  first  timidly  adopted  in  the  preceding 
century,  they  one  and  all  drew  largely  from 
their  friends,  neighbours  and  patrons  as 
models  for  the  figures  in  their  sacred  compo- 
sitions. Thus  the  fifteenth  century  Italian 


PAINTING  IN  ITALY 


7 


frescoes  are  a veritable  historical  portrait 
gallery. 

It  was  a common  practice  of  painters  to 
sign  their  works  with  an  auto  portrait,  so  to 
speak.  In  this  way  we  get  our  most  interest- 
ing portraits  of  Masaccio,  with  square  head 
and  thick  neck,  of  Botticelli,  with  waving  hair 
and  full  curved  lips,  of  Filippo  Lippi,  the 
portly  tonsured  friar,  of  Ghirlandajo,  rather 
square  and  stolid,  of  Gentile  da  Fabriano, 
smooth  faced  and  bland,  of  Perugino,  with 
thin  compressed  lips,  of  honest,  open-faced 
Benozzo  Gozzoli,  and  of  Signorelli  and  Fra 
Angelico,  standing  gravely  together  in  the 
corner  of  the  Orvieto  fresco. 

On  the  threshold  of  the  century  stood  the 
Florentine  Masaccio,  whose  frescoes  were  a 
school  of  draughtsmanship  for  his  successors. 
Like  the  mosaicist  of  S.  Vitale,  Masaccio 
painted  the  ceremony  of  consecrating  the 
Carmine  church,  with  portraits  of  the  partic- 
ipants. There  were  the  artists,  Brunellesco, 
Donatello,  and  Masolino,  the  ambassador 
Lorenzo  Ridolfi,  and  other  notable  Florentine 
gentlemen,  of  whom  Vasari  tells  us.  The 


8 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


wonder  of  wonders  was  that  the  painter  had 
the  “ forethought  to  make  these  men  not  all 
of  one  size,  but  differing  as  in  life;  insomuch 
that  one  distinguishes  the  short  and  stout  man 
from  the  tall  and  slender.”  It  was  a decided 
step  forward  to  notice  that  all  men  were  not 
made  alike.  The  men  who  came  after,  now 
grew  steadily  in  power  to  reproduce  nature. 
Portrait  figures  were  drawn  with  distinct 
characterization,  and  contemporary  digni- 
taries were  preserved  for  the  infinite  delight 
of  posterity. 

To  begin  with  that  great  and  powerful 
family  which  so  long  shaped  the  destinies  of 
Florence  — the  Medici.  It  is  Benozzo  Goz- 
zoli  who  presents  11s  to  the  family  in  three 
generations:  Cosimo,  the  “ father  of  his 

country,”  Piero,  the  weak,  and  Lorenzo  the 
Magnificent,  moving  in  the  procession  of 
oriental  kings  who  bring  their  offerings  to  the 
Christ-child.  The  walls  of  the  little  Riccardi 
chapel  seem  to  stretch  into  an  illimitable  dis- 
tance filled  with  the  splendid  pageant  wind- 
ing its  way  among  the  hills:  gaily  capari- 
soned horses,  huntsmen  and  their  dogs,  serv- 


Detail  of  Fresco,  Riccardi  Palace,  Florence]  [Benozzo  Gozzoli 

PORTRAIT  OF  LORENZO  BE’  MEDICI 


PAINTING  IN  ITALY 


9 


ants,  pages  and  retainers  of  every  degree 
(Benozzo  himself  among  them)  accompany- 
ing the  royal  guests.  Young  Lorenzo,  with 
richly  embroidered  doublet  and  cape,  and  a 
coroneted  cap,  sits  his  horse  with  serene 
dignity,  the  bright  particular  star  of  the 
occasion. 

Again  do  the  Medici  family  figure  in  the 
subject  of  the  Adoration  in  Botticelli’s  pic- 
ture of  the  Uffizi.  In  this  case  it  is  Cosimo, 
then  just  deceased,  who  impersonates  the 
eldest  of  the  Magian  kings.  But  even  his 
bared  head  and  kneeling  posture  do  not  belie 
the  air  of  haughty  patronage  with  which  he 
holds  the  Christ-child’s  foot.  Patron  of  ar- 
tists, founder  of  libraries,  builder  of  hospitals 
and  churches,  this  powerful  tyrant  blessed 
his  people  with  one  hand  while  he  coerced 
them  with  the  other.  His  strong  personality 
was  felt  throughout  Europe.  His  grandsons, 
Giovanni  and  Giuliano,  stand  waiting  their 
turn,  as  the  other  kings,  bearing  themselves 
with  the  distinction  of  their  race.  Giuliano 
is  the  subject  of  a separate  portrait  by  Botti- 
celli, presenting  the  striking  personality  of 


10 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


the  man.  The  long,  thin,  slanting  nose  and 
lifted  chin  give  him  an  air  of  supercilious  dis- 
dain (Berlin  gallery).  Botticelli’s  well- 
known  “ Medallist  ” of  the  Uffizi  is  supposed 
to  be  Piero,  son  of  Lorenzo  the  Magnificent, 
holding  in  his  hands  a medallion  portrait  of 
his  great  grandfather  Cosimo,  pater  patriae. 
The  long  and  narrow  face,  almost  gaunt  with 
its  high  cheek  bones,  has  an  expression  of  in- 
teresting melancholy  which  we  suspect  be- 
longed to  the  artist  himself  more  than  to  the 
subject.  It  is  one  of  the  rare  portraits  in 
three  quarters  front  face  beginning  in  this 
time  to  replace  the  more  common  profile  por- 
traits. A full  front  face,  still  rarer,  is  pre- 
sented in  Botticelli’s  portrait  of  a youth  in  the 
National  Gallery. 

Two  famous  Florentine  beauties  were  also 
among  the  portrait  subjects  of  Botticelli’s 
work  for  the  Medici.  One  of  these  was 
Simonetta,  the  wife  of  Marco  Vespucci,  the 
lady  raised  to  the  pedestal  of  a divinity  in  the 
romantic  imagination  of  Giuliano.  For  her 
amusement  her  admirer  held  a splendid  tour- 
nament (1475)  in  the  piazza  of  Santa  Croce, 


National  Gallery,  London]  [Botticelli 

PORTRAIT  OF  UNKNOWN  YOUTH 


PAINTING  IN  ITALY 


11 


to  her  praise  he  wrote  laudatory  verses,  and 
in  her  name  performed  many  gallant  deeds. 
Three  portraits  are  claimed  as  the  likeness  of 
this  paragon,  but  they  are  not  only  quite  dis- 
similar but  quite  unlike  our  preconceived 
notions  of  the  original.  The  Simonetta  of 
the  Pitti  is  grave  and  prim,  with  an  inordi- 
nately long  neck,  and  a Quaker-like  severity 
of  dress.  The  subject  of  the  Berlin  gallery 
is  a veritable  lady  of  vanity,  with  fancifully 
decked  hair  and  pretty  but  empty  face.  At 
Simonetta’s  death  in  1476,  all  the  learned 
Florentines  were  inconsolable.  Sonnets  were 
written  in  her  memory  by  Lorenzo  himself, 
there  was  an  epigram  by  the  famous  Polizi- 
ano,  and  an  elegy  by  Bernardo  Pulci.  Botti- 
celli’s other  Florentine  beauty  is  Lucrezia 
Tornabuoni,  daughter  of  a rich  and  illustrious 
Florentine  house,  wife  of  the  elder  Piero,  and 
mother  of  Simonetta’s  admirer  Giuliano.  She 
is  described  as  a woman  of  great  intellectual 
force  and  wide  culture,  a poet  as  well,  and 
possessed  of  all  the  virtues.  If  the  Frankfort 
Botticelli  be  really  her  portrait  she  was  as- 
suredly a charming  creature  in  her  youth, 


12 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


with  straight,  fine  brows  and  cameo-like  pro- 
file.1 

The  impress  of  his  own  individuality  is  on 
all  Botticelli’s  portrait  work.  His  contem- 
porary Ghirlandajo  was  more  objective,  being 
a close  observer,  and  sticking  conscientiously 
to  facts.  There  was  not  so  much  poetry  in  his 
art,  but  it  has  solid  and  valuable  qualities. 
He  had  a passion  for  portraiture,  and  there  is 
a tradition  that  in  his  youthful  days  in  the 
goldsmith’s  shop,  he  drew  the  likeness  of 
every  passer-by.  His  great  frescoes  are  filled 
with  the  notable  Florentines  of  his  day: 
Lorenzo  de’  Medici,  the  Magnificent,  most 
illustrious  representative  of  his  family;  Fran- 
cesco Sassetti,  for  whom  he  decorated  a 
chapel  at  S.  Trinita;  men  of  learning  like 
Ficino,  Landino,  and  Poliziano;  reigning 
belles,  like  Giovanna  degli  Albizzi;  and  even 
the  navigator,  Amerigo  Vespucci.  Nor  did 
he  omit  himself : Baldovinetti,  his  master;  Bas- 
tiano,  his  cousin;  and  David,  his  brother.  But 

1 With  these  portraits  of  La  Simonetta  and  Lucrezia  should  be 
classed  the  charming  profile  of  the  Florentine  girl  in  the  Poldi 
Pezzoli,  Milan,  attributed  to  Verocchio.  This  face  is  enchantingly 
demure  and  piquant. 


PAINTING  IN  ITALY 


13 


it  was  the  rich  and  illustrious  Tornabuoni 
family  in  whose  service  his  portrait  skill  was 
most  lavishly  expended.  For  them  he  deco- 
rated the  choir  of  S.  Maria  Novella  with  illus- 
trations of  the  life  of  the  Virgin  on  one  side, 
and  the  life  of  St.  John  Baptist  on  the  other. 
To  these  sacred  scenes  the  Tornabuoni  lend 
their  pompous  presence.  They  form  a solid 
phalanx  awaiting  the  priest  Zacharias  as  he 
tarries  in  the  temple  with  the  vision.  Some 
of  them  stand  by  while  the  old  man  writes  on 
a tablet  the  name  of  his  new-born  son,  and 
others  witness  Joachim’s  expulsion  from  the 
temple.  Their  women  folk  come  to  visit  both 
mothers,  Anna  and  Elizabeth,  to  see  the  new- 
born babes.  All  these  figures  are  convincing 
as  portraits,  if  not  really  interesting.  Ruskin 
says  amusingly  of  them,  “ If  you  are  a nice 
person,  they  are  not  nice  enough  for  you,  and 
if  a vulgar  person,  not  vulgar  enough.”  In 
short,  they  are  hopelessly  mediocre. 

In  Rome  as  well  as  in  Florence  Ghirlan- 
dajo  plied  his  art,  and  the  Call  of  the  Apos- 
tles, in  the  Sistine  chapel,  is  one  of  his  noblest 
compositions.  Here  again  are  rows  of  inter- 


14 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


esting  portrait  figures  standing  as  spectators 
of  the  sacred  scene.  This  was  painted  in  1482 
when  the  side  walls  of  the  chapel  were  being 
decorated  under  the  superintendence  of  Botti- 
celli. All  the  panels  are  full  of  portraits  in 
what  was  now  the  prevailing  custom.  Peru- 
gino’s  Charge  to  Peter  and  the  Baptism, 
Botticelli’s  Temptation  and  scenes  from  the 
life  of  Moses,  and  Pinturicchio’s  Journey 
from  Midian,  abound  in  character  studies  of 
a most  interesting  quality. 

Most  of  these  painters  made  an  occasional 
separate  portrait  study.  One  by  Ghirlandajo 
of  special  charm  is  the  Old  Man  and  Child  of 
the  Louvre.  The  realistic  painter  spares  us 
nothing  in  delineating  the  warts  which  dis- 
figure the  poor  old  face,  but  with  a touch  of 
real  genius  he  reveals  the  transfiguring  power 
of  love,  as  the  grandfather  gazes  into  the 
wistful  little  face  lifted  to  his.  Again, 
Perugino’s  portrait  of  Francesco  delle  Opere, 
in  the  LTffizi,  has  been  pronounced  “ one  of 
the  most  ably  interpreted,  most  firmly  char- 
acterized, most  convincing  faces,  in  the  whole 
range  of  Renaissance  art.”  This  certainly  is 


^ivate  Collection] 

PORTRAIT  OF  GIOVANNA  TORNABUOXI 


[Ghirlandajo 


PAINTING  IN  ITALY 


15 


extraordinary  achievement  for  a man  who  was 
content  to  repeat  as  if  by  stencil  the  same 
type  of  face  for  Madonna,  saint  and  angel. 
Pinturicchio’s  Boy,  in  the  Dresden  gallery, 
is  a charming  portrait,  with  his  fresh  ingenu- 
ous face,  and  the  severe  simplicity  of  the  pose. 

Our  study  of  fifteenth  century  portrait  paint- 
ing would  be  incomplete  without  noting  how 
much  the  progress  of  the  art  was  furthered 
by  the  patronage  of  rich  noblemen  through- 
out Italy.  Duke  Federigo  of  Urbino  was  an 
intelligent  and  progressive  man  of  this  type. 
Among  the  artists  in  his  employ  was  Pietro 
della  Francesca,  whose  portraits  of  his  patron 
and  his  good  wife,  Battista  Sforza,  are  now 
in  the  Uffizi  gallery.  The  faces  are  drawn  in 
sharp  profile,  with  firmness  and  precision. 
Federigo’s  strong  features  lend  themselves 
admirably  to  the  treatment,  and  the  deep  in- 
dentation above  his  large  nose  identifies  him 
unmistakably.  Battista,  undeniably  bour- 
geoise,  regards  her  lord  and  master  com- 
placently. A worthy  pair  whom  the  artist’s 
gift  has  preserved  as  an  example  of  domestic 
contentment.  The  duke  is  also  seen  in  the 


16 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


role  of  donor  in  a large  altar-piece  of  the 
Madonna  and  Saints.  He  kneels  in  full 
armour  in  the  foreground,  his  helmet  on  the 
pavement,  his  hands  reverently  clasped.  This 
work  is  in  the  Brera,  at  Milan,  and  it  is 
thought  that  Carnevale  may  have  had  a hand 
in  it,  though  it  appears  to  have  come  from 
Pietro’s  workshop.  Another  important  por- 
trait by  Pietro  della  Francesca  is  that  of 
Malatesta  of  Rimini,  in  a fresco  in  the  church 
of  S.  Francesco,  in  that  town.  The  stern 
despot  kneels  before  his  patron  S.  Sigismund, 
and  the  portrait  is  executed  with  the  sim- 
plicity, dignity  and  force  which  give  char- 
acter to  the  work  of  this  remarkable  painter. 

Among  other  commissions  Pietro  worked 
at  Ferrara  for  the  Duke  Borso  d’Este  in  the 
decoration  of  the  Schifanoia  Palace,  but  no 
traces  of  his  handiwork  are  now  to  be  found 
there.  What  remains  to  us  of  the  original 
scheme  of  decoration  is  the  joint  product  of 
Cosimo  Tura  and  Francesco  del  Cossa,  with 
their  pupils.  Cosimo  Tura  was  court  painter 
for  two  dukes  of  Ferrara,  from  1458  to  his 
death  in  1495.  The  duties  of  such  a post  were 


PAINTING  IN  ITALY 


17 


manifold,  from  the  designing  of  furniture 
and  the  management  of  pageants,  to  covering 
the  palace  walls  with  paintings  and  turning 
out  portraits  on  demand.  The  lasting  monu- 
ment of  Tura’s  ceaseless  activity  is  the  series 
of  compositions  showing  the  Duke  Borso  in 
various  episodes  of  his  career,  riding  to  the 
hunt,  receiving  a messenger  from  Bologna 
and  exchanging  courtesies  with  the  ambassa- 
dor of  Venice.  It  is  all  a most  interesting 
picture  pageant  with  the  portrait  figure  of  the 
duke  moving  through  the  scenes. 

Of  the  innumerable  detached  portraits 
which  Tura  must  have  made,  not  one  remains 
to  us.  Little  value  seems  to  have  been  at- 
tached to  such  work,  which  was  often  done 
under  pressure,  and  perhaps  not  very  credit- 
ably, to  serve  some  temporary  purpose.  The 
fortunate  nobleman  of  this  period  who  could 
command  a court  painter,  regarded  a portrait 
almost  as  we  do  a photograph.  It  was  not 
kept  as  a piece  of  decoration  for  one’s  house, 
but  was  sent  to  some  absent  friend  or  rela- 
tive, a suitor,  or  a husband  at  the  wars. 

The  court  of  Mantua  enjoyed  a practical 


18 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


monopoly  of  the  great  painter  Mantegna, 
from  his  appointment  in  1459  to  his  death 
early  in  the  next  century.  There  is  a list  of 
a dozen  lost  portraits  belonging  to  this  time 
against  two  which  remain.  One  of  the  latter 
represents  the  seventeen-year-old  son  of  the 
Gonzaga  house,  Francesco,  just  made  a car- 
dinal (Naples).  The  other  portrait  subject 
is  the  Cardinal  Mezzarata  (Berlin),  a re- 
markable man  who  was  successively  physician, 
soldier  and  priest,  and  whose  luxurious  living 
won  him  the  soubriquet  of  “ Lucullus.”  In 
both  works  Mantegna  showed  himself  a psy- 
chologist of  extraordinary  insight.  The  sub- 
jects are  taken  off  guard,  unconscious  of 
observation,  absorbed  in  their  own  thoughts, 
purely  and  entirely  themselves.  The  young 
Francesco  is  done  in  profile,  in  the  fashion  of 
the  primitives,  the  Cardinal  Mezzarata,  in  the 
rare  three-quarters  view,  w’hich  show’s  the 
strong  lines  of  his  hard  face,  the  mouth  of  the 
iron  will,  and  the  keen  eyes  of  self  seeking 
under  the  heavy  beetling  brow’s.  There  is  a 
plastic  quality  in  the  modelling  which  allies  it 
to  the  portrait  busts  of  the  same  period. 


PAINTING  IN  ITALY 


19 


Mantegna  was  not  altogether  free  from  the 
limitations  of  his  day,  but  his  insight  into 
character  was  a distinct  advance  in  the  art 
of  portrait  painting. 

Another  new  thing  which  Mantegna  intro- 
duced was  a portrait  family  group.  The 
Marchese  Lodovico  had  commissioned  him  to 
decorate  the  walls  of  a room  (Camera  degli 
Sposi)  in  the  Castello  with  scenes  of  a domes- 
tic character.  On  one  side  the  painter  repre- 
sented the  patron  and  his  wife,  the  Marchesa 
Barbara,  surrounded  by  children  and  relatives 
in  a typical  family  scene.  The  composition 
anticipated  by  two  hundred  years  a Dutch 
fashion  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Another 
subject  in  the  room  was  the  Meeting  of  Lodo- 
vico with  the  Cardinal  Francesco,  represent- 
ing an  actual  episode,  as  was  not  an  uncom- 
mon practice  at  the  time. 

It  was  some  years  later,  after  the  death  of 
Lodovico,  that  the  succeeding  Duke,  Fran- 
cesco, brought  as  his  bride  to  Mantua  the 
famous  Isabella  d’Este.  Under  the  direction 
of  this  gifted  and  critical  lady,  the  painter 
did  other  fine  things  to  add  to  his  fame.  Un- 


20 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


happily,  we  have  no  more  portraits  from  his 
hand,  having  lost  what  would  have  been  an 
inestimable  treasure  to  us  — the  likeness  of 
Isabella,  painted  to  send  to  the  Countess 
d’Acerra.  Of  the  Marchese  Francesco,  a man 
of  unprepossessing  appearance,  we  have  Man- 
tegna’s portrait  in  the  splendid  Madonna  of 
Victory,  where  he  kneels  as  donor  at  the  foot 
of  the  throne. 

Another  painter  pressed  into  the  service  of 
the  indefatigable  Isabella,  was  Francia,  the 
Bolognese.  In  the  course  of  the  Marchese 
Francesco’s  warlike  adventures,  he  had  been 
taken  prisoner  by  the  Venetians.  The  pope 
Julius  II  had  intervened  for  his  release,  but 
by  way  of  hostage  his  little  boy  Federigo  was 
to  be  sent  to  Rome.  The  mother  longed  for 
a portrait  of  her  son  to  console  her  in  his 
absence,  and  Francia  received  an  order  to 
make  one.  This  picture,  after  long  being 
lost  sight  of,  has  recently  been  identified  as 
a beautiful  little  work  owned  by  an  English 
gentleman  who  has  allowed  it  to  be  photo- 
graphed. The  little  fellow  is  as  pretty  and 
romantic  looking  as  a mother  could  wish.  Of 


PAINTING  IN  ITALY 


21 


Isabella  herself,  Francia  also  painted  a por- 
trait which  has  unhappily  been  lost. 

Evangelista  Scappi,  and  Bartolommeo 
Bianchi,  were  others  of  Francia’s  identified 
sitters,  men  well  known  in  their  day,  and  ad- 
mirably preserved  for  posterity  by  Francia’s 
work.  In  the  Pitti  are  two  portraits  of  un- 
known men  attributed  to  Francia,  and  again 
one  especially  interesting  is  in  the  Lichten- 
stein gallery  at  Vienna.  All  these  show  certain 
common  mannerisms.  The  hair  is  massed  in 
two  evenly  divided  locks  which  conceal  the 
ears,  the  mouth  drawn  in  an  exact  Cupid’s  bow, 
the  face  smoothed  out  of  expression,  the  hands 
without  articulation,  and  the  finish  as  care- 
ful as  goldsmith’s  work.  Francia  appears  to 
have  been  a leader  in  the  movement  towards 
popularizing  portrait  painting.  Many  of  his 
sitters  were  middle  class  people.  The  art  was 
no  longer  to  remain  in  the  possession  of  the 
privileged  few.  The  character  of  the  paint- 
er’s work  was,  however,  less  progressive  than 
his  spirit.  He  was  modern  in  giving  his 
sitters  a full  front  face,  but  primitive  in 
craftsmanship.  So  while  the  span  of  his  life 


22 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


extended  some  years  into  the  new  century, 
his  place  is  still  in  the  old. 

The  decorations  of  the  Camera  degli  Sposi 
at  Mantua,  and  the  Schifanoia  Palace  in 
Ferrara,  were  not  the  only  historical  portrait 
compositions  of  the  period.  Another  example 
is  the  work  of  Melozzo  da  Forli  for  the 
library  of  the  pope  Sixtus  IV.  The  subject 
was  the  pope  conferring  the  charge  of  his 
library  upon  Platina,  in  the  presence  of  vari- 
ous dignitaries.  We  have  here  strong  and 
well  characterized  portraits  of  Sixtus  IV,  of 
Platina,  of  Giuliano  della  Rovere  (after- 
wards pope  Julius  II),  and  of  Pietro  Riario 
(afterwards  Bishop  of  Treviso).  The  fresco 
was  eventually  transferred  to  canvas  and  now 
hangs  in  the  Vatican  gallery. 

One  of  the  most  brilliant  courts  of  the  fif- 
teenth century  was  that  of  Lodovico  Sforza, 
II  Moro,  at  Milan.  He  drew  to  his  employ  the 
greatest  painter  of  the  age,  Leonardo  da 
Vinci.  So  varied  were  the  demands  upon  the 
painter  during  the  sixteen  years  of  his  service, 
from  decorating  a ball  room  to  directing  an 
irrigating  canal,  and  modelling  an  equestrian 


Ambrosiana,  Milan]  [Ambrogio  de  Predis 

PORTRAIT  OF  BIANCA  SFORZA(?) 


PAINTING  IN  ITALY 


23 


statue,  that  his  portrait  works  were  few  and 
far  between.  It  is  on  record  that  he  painted 
likenesses  of  both  Lodovico’s  mistresses, 
Cecilia  Gallerani,  and  Lucrezia  Crivelli,  but 
these  are  lost.  The  former  was  so  much  ad- 
mired by  Isabella  d’Este  that  she  borrowed  it 
to  compare  with  Bellini’s  work.  It  seems 
pretty  certain  that  the  great  Florentine  did 
not  paint  any  panel  portraits  of  the  duke 
himself,  or  his  charming  young  wife,  Beatrice 
d’Este.  The  portraits  which  he  made  on  the 
wall  of  S.  Maria  della  Grazie,  opposite  the 
Last  Supper,  have  long  since  perished. 

Another  painter  in  Lodovico’s  employ  was 
Ambrogio  de  Predis,  whose  work  shows  so 
plainly  the  influence  of  Leonardo  that  some  . 
of  it  has  been  taken  for  the  elder  master’s. 
There  is  a pair  of  portraits  in  the  Ambrosiana, 
at  Milan,  attributed  by  recent  critics  to  his 
hand,  and  most  plausibly  regarded  as  Lodo- 
vico’s daughter,  Bianca  Sforza,  and  her  hus- 
band, Giangaleazzo  di  San  Severino.  The 
delicately  cut  profile,  the  netted  head-dress 
edged  with  pearls,  the  jewelled  fillet  and  the 
pearl  necklace,  are  parts  of  the  quaint  charm 


24 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


of  the  lady.  The  handsome  young  man  with 
thoughtful  eyes  and  bushy,  curling  hair  has 
the  romantic  air  we  associate  with  the  gallant 
cavalier. 

It  seems  a great  pity  that  neither  Am- 
brogio  nor  Leonardo  left  us  portraits  of  the 
great  duke  and  his  girl  wife.  For  authentic 
likenesses  we  must  turn  to  Zenale’s  Madonna, 
painted  in  1495  for  the  church  of  S.  Ambro- 
gio  at  Nemo,  but  now  in  the  Brera  gallery. 
Lodovico  kneels  at  the  Madonna’s  right,  with 
his  little  boy,  the  Count  of  Pavia,  beside  him. 
Beatrice  kneels  vis-a-vis , with  her  baby  Fran- 
cesco. All  the  faces  are  in  profile,  stiff, 
wooden  and  expressionless,  much  more  inter- 
esting for  costume  than  for  physiognomy. 
Comparing  them  with  the  beauty  of  the  Ma- 
donna, and  the  excellence  of  the  attendant 
saints,  one  realizes  fully  that  with  the  average 
craftsman,  such  as  Zenale,  even  at  this  late 
date,  portraiture  was  still  greatly  behind  ideal 
and  devotional  figure  painting  in  Italy. 


Ambrosiana,  Milan]  [Ambrogio  de  Predia 

PORTRAIT  OP  GIANGALE AZZO  SANSE VERIXO  (?) 


CHAPTER  II 


ITALIAN  PORTRAIT  PAINTING  IN  THE  SIX- 
TEENTH CENTURY 

I STORY  seldom  accommodates  itself 
to  chronology,  but,  by  a curious  co- 
incidence, a portrait  was  begun  in 
the  year  1500,  marking  as  by  a milestone,  the 
transition  from  the  fifteenth  to  the  sixteenth 
centuries.  This  was  the  famous  Mona  Lisa, 
by  Leonardo  da  Vinci.  One  after  another  the 
steps  had  been  taken  to  make  a real  portrait. 
Masaccio  had  distinguished  the  fat  man  from 
the  thin,  or,  in  other  words,  had  given  indi- 
viduality to  a figure.  Ghirlandajo  had  faith- 
fully reproduced  the  characteristic  features. 
A few  bolder  spirits  had  turned  the  portrait 
head  from  profile  to  front  face,  adding  a sense 
of  intimacy  to  the  likeness.  The  historical 
portrait  composition  had  given  animation  and 
some  expressiveness  to  pose  and  gesture. 


26 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Mantegna  had  made  a beginning  of  character 
study,  and  had  suggested  the  manner  of  man 
behind  the  facial  mask.  At  length  came 
Leonardo,  and  the  portrait  revealed  a living 
soul. 

Master  of  all  the  technical  processes  with 
which  his  predecessors  had  struggled,  he  had, 
besides,  the  analytical  mind  of  the  psycholo- 
gist, and  the  imagination  of  the  seer.  The 
human  face  possessed  an  endless  fascination 
for  this  singular  genius.  If  he  encoun- 
tered on  the  street  some  interesting  physiog- 
nomy, he  would  follow  the  person  about  all 
day,  and,  returning  home  at  night,  would 
draw  the  portrait  from  memory.  One  eve- 
ning he  gave  a supper  party,  convulsing  his 
guests  with  merriment  by  his  amusing  stories. 
Then  he  retired  and  drew  the  faces  as  he  had 
observed  them  in  the  contortions  of  laughter. 
For  caricature,  too,  he  had  a leaning,  and 
made  many  drawings  with  exaggerated  fea- 
tures and  grimaces,  as  grotesque  as  gargoyles. 
The  taste  for  the  bizarre  was  but  one  phase 
of  his  love  for  the  transient  and  subtle  in  ex- 
pression. The  fleeting  loveliness  of  a woman’s 


SIXTEENTH  CENTURY 


27 


smile  was  his  obsession.  He  spent  his  life  in 
the  pursuit  of  this  vanishing  beauty.  Some- 
times the  smile  is  pensive,  sometimes,  merely 
happy;  sometimes  it  is  enigmatic,  sometimes 
purely  mischievous;  sometimes  it  is  treacher- 
ous, sometimes  alluring.  Always  it  has  the 
charm  of  momentariness. 

The  restless  curiosity  of  Leonardo’s  genius 
drew  him  in  so  many  directions,  that  he  had 
neither  time  nor  energy  to  accomplish  large  re- 
sults in  any.  Sculpture  and  architecture,  poetry 
and  music,  science,  mathematics  and  engineer- 
ing occupied  him  by  turns.  Though  his  fame 
rests  upon  painting,  this  art  really  filled  but  a 
small  part  of  his  life.  The  Mona  Lisa  is  his 
only  existing  title  to  the  name  of  portrait 
painter.  There  is  no  slightest  doubt  of  its 
authenticity,  while  the  several  other  so-called 
Leonardo  portraits  have  all  been  questioned. 
Other  portraits  which  he  is  known  to  have 
painted,  mentioned  in  a previous  chapter, 
have  been  lost.  It  is  on  the  multitude  of  his 
drawings,  collated  with  the  Mona  Lisa,  that 
we  base  our  knowledge  of  his  portrait  art. 
It  was  as  easy  for  him  to  draw,  as  for  most 


28 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


men  to  talk.  A pen,  a pencil,  the  silver  point, 
the  crayon,  was  almost  always  at  hand,  to 
throw  off  an  idea.  As  we  gloat  upon  these 
precious  sketches  in  the  museums  of  Europe, 
or  pore  over  the  reproductions  which  modern 
publishers  have  made  available,  the  wonder 
grows  that  one  hand  could  have  compassed 
such  a range.  Old  age  and  infancy  interest 
him  alike;  strong  and  muscular  men,  soft  and 
beautiful  women.  In  play  of  muscle,  attitude, 
gesture  and  facial  expression  he  is  master. 
Ilis  special  passion  — after  the  smile  — is  for 
hair,  the  waving  tresses  of  a woman,  the  dis- 
ordered locks,  or  curling  beard  of  a man. 
The  dexterity  with  which  he  drew  each  sep- 
arate hair  was  almost  Flemish  in  minuteness. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  and  charming 
of  the  portrait  drawings  is  the  sketch  of 
Isabella  d’Este,  Marchioness  of  Mantua.  As 
we  have  seen  in  a previous  chapter  her  por- 
traits by  Mantegna  and  Francia  are  un- 
happily lost.  More  is  known  of  this  lady 
than  of  any  of  the  grandes  dames  of  the 
Italian  Renaissance.  Her  wit  and  beauty, 
her  learning  and  connoisseurship,  and  above 


SIXTEENTH  CENTURY 


29 


all  her  passion  for  art,  made  her  a conspicuous 
figure  in  all  the  great  courts.  She  gathered 
about  her  poets,  painters  and  scholars,  and 
her  patronage  was  an  immense  stimulus  to 
culture.  Hers  was  decidedly  a dominant  per- 
sonality. Of  all  this,  however,  Leonardo’s 
sketch  gives  no  inkling.  The  master  sur- 
prised her  in  a mood  of  simple  gaiety  of  heart. 
There  is  a piquancy  and  girlish  charm  in  her 
smile,  as  remote  as  possible  from  any  pose  of 
the  woman  of  affairs.  This  sketch  was  made 
in  a short  visit  at  Mantua,  in  the  period  of 
Leonardo’s  connection  with  the  court  of 
Milan.  The  promised  portrait  for  which  it 
was  a beginning  was  never  forthcoming, 
though  Isabella  was  anxious  to  have  it. 
Leonardo,  it  appears,  did  not  regard  the 
great  lady  with  the  awe  she  inspired  in  others. 

Another  interesting  portrait  sketch  by 
Leonardo  is  the  likeness  of  himself  in  his  old 
age.  His  heavy  overhanging  eyebrows  meet 
the  hair  which  mingles  with  the  beard  in 
long  flowing  locks.  The  eyes  peer  out  with 
the  glance  of  the  acute  observer.  The  mouth, 
with  upper  lip  shaven,  is  shut  in  a firm  line 


30 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


which  is  almost  stern.  There  is  something  in 
the  apostolic  grandeur  of  the  head  which  sug- 
gests the  preacher’s  cry  that  “ all  is  vanity.” 

The  portrait  of  Mona  Lisa  was  four  years 
in  the  making,  for  Leonardo  would  paint  only 
when  the  impulse  moved  him,  and  was  never 
satisfied.  The  lady  was  the  wife  of  a Floren- 
tine gentleman,  Francesco  del  Giocondo,  and 
was  regarded  as  a great  beauty.  To  secure 
the  evanescent  charm  of  her  expression,  some 
one  was  employed  at  each  sitting  to  entertain 
her  with  music,  or  jest  or  story.  Of  the  com- 
pleted portrait,  now  hanging  in  the  Louvre, 
more  perhaps  has  been  written  than  of  any 
other  picture  in  the  world.  Mona  Lisa  is  a 
siren,  attractive  and  repellent  by  turns,  al- 
ways fascinating,  and  always  elusive.  She  is 
an  image  of  the  eternal  feminine.  The  tech- 
nical excellence  of  the  work,  the  modelling  of 
face  and  hands,  the  colour  of  the  flesh,  the 
moisture  of  eyes  and  lips,  have  elicited  unend- 
ing praise  from  Leonardo’s  day  to  our  own. 

Though  the  other  portraits  once  attributed 
to  Leonardo  must  now  be  regarded  as  the 
work  of  other  hands,  they  are  still  his  in  char- 


SIXTEENTH  CENTURY  31 


acter.  It  was  his  influence  which  made  them 
what  they  are.  Of  these  the  Belle  Ferro- 
niere  is  the  most  closely  akin  to  Mona  Lisa  in 
conception.  The  bust  is  set  against  a ground 
of  solid  colour,  instead  of  against  a landscape, 
as  is  usual  with  Leonardo,  and  the  handling 
differs  from  his  in  colour  and  modelling.  It 
is  in  the  psychological  insight  that  the  por- 
trait shows  the  master’s  leading  — in  the 
speaking  eyes,  and  the  expressive  mouth. 
The  “ Nun  ” of  the  Pitti  Gallery  is  posed  like 
Mona  Lisa,  but  here  the  resemblance  ends. 
Her  gentle  timidity  suggests  perfectly  the 
cloistered  life.  Since  this  picture  was  taken 
from  Leonardo’s  list,  it  has  been  attributed 
by  differing  critics  to  Perugino,  Francia- 
bigio,  and  Ridolfo  Ghirlandajo.  The  “ Gold- 
smith,” in  the  same  gallery,  once  assigned  to 
Leonardo,  is  now  given  to  Ridolfo  Ghirlan- 
dajo. The  young  man  holds  in  his  hand  a 
beautiful  object  of  his  craft,  which  he  regards 
with  a smile  of  satisfaction.  This,  too,  who- 
ever may  be  the  artist,  shows  the  new  spirit 
of  character  study  which  came  into  Italy  with 
Leonardo,  and  the  new  century. 


32 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Of  Leonardo’s  followers,  Andrea  Solario 
is  one  whose  few  portraits  show  that  he  fell 
in  readily  with  the  new  movement.  The  most 
remarkable  is  the  Christoforo  Longono,  in  the 
Louvre,  represented  in  half-length  and  full 
front  view;  painted  with  no  shirking  of  diffi- 
cult problems,  and  with  the  assured  touch  of 
a craftsman.  The  partial  closing  of  the  eyes 
gives  the  introspective  look  of  the  sitter  un- 
aware of  the  observer.  Charles  of  Amboise, 
also  in  the  Louvre,  has  again  the  half -closed, 
sleepy  eyes,  imparting  a meditative  air  which 
is  enhanced  by  the  droop  of  the  head.  These 
works  show  a curious  kinship  with  the  Flem- 
ish portraits  of  the  same  period. 

Luini  is  doubtless  the  most  conspicuous  of 
the  Leonardesque  painters,  but  his  tastes  did 
not  often  incline  him  to  portrait  work.  To 
him,  however,  we  owe  the  noble  piece  of  dec- 
oration which  contains  the  Bentivoglio  por- 
traits. It  is  in  the  church  of  S.  Maurizio,  at 
Milan,  covering  the  eastern  wall.  Alessandro 
and  his  wife  Ippolit  a Sforza  kneel  with  their 
patron  saints,  on  opposite  sides  of  the  altar. 
They  are  grand  and  impressive  figures,  tak- 


SIXTEENTH  CENTURY 


33 


ing  high  rank  among  the  portraits  of  donors 
in  sacred  art.  Among  Luini’s  Saronno  fres- 
coes, in  the  subject  of  the  Disputation  in  the 
Temple,  is  a portrait  figure  said  to  represent 
the  artist  himself.  It  is  an  old  man  with  long, 
white  beard,  turning  his  deeply  seamed  face 
towards  the  spectator  with  an  almost  wistful 
look.  “ La  Columbina  ” is  also  supposed  to 
be  a portrait,  but  the  subject  is  treated  so 
fancifully  that  it  is  probably  the  idealization 
of  a beautiful  model.  The  smile  with  which 
the  lady  regards  the  flower  comes  certainly 
direct  from  Leonardo.  It  was  he  who  taught 
painters  how  to  crystallize  a passing  mood. 

Even  Raphael  felt  the  influence  of  Leo- 
nardo’s portrait  work.  Coming  to  Florence 
in  1504,  when  Mona  Lisa  was  fresh  from  the 
painter’s  hands,  the  young  LTrbinate  fell  un- 
der the  magic  spell  of  her  smile.  Having  an 
order  for  the  portraits  of  Angelo  and  Mad- 
delena  Doni,  he  made  bold  to  pose  the  lady 
precisely  after  the  Mona  Lisa  manner.  Two 
women  could  scarcely  be  farther  apart  than 
the  placid  Maddelena,  and  her  fascinating 
prototype,  but  the  portrait  was  an  interesting 


34 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


beginning  of  a new  line  of  work.  It  was  also 
during  this  visit  in  Florence  that  Raphael 
painted  the  portrait  of  himself,  which  gives  us 
a charming  image  of  the  gentle  imaginative 
youth  on  the  threshold  of  his  great  career. 

In  the  twelve  years  of  Raphael’s  Roman 
period,  demands  multiplied  upon  him  so  fast 
that  he  had  little  time  for  portrait  painting, 
even  had  his  tastes  inclined  him  in  that 
direction,  as  they  plainly  did  not.  A brilliant 
figure  at  the  papal  court,  the  favourite  of  two 
popes,  the  friend  and  intimate  of  the  richest 
and  most  in  fluent  ial  officials  and  noblemen, 
handsome,  amiable,  and  supremely  gifted,  his 
happy  career  reads  like  a fairy  tale.  The 
amount  of  work  he  accomplished  was  pro- 
digious, but  it  lay  chiefly  in  the  direction  of 
mural  decorations  and  altar-pieces.  His  pre- 
dilection seemed  for  purely  ideal  and  imagina- 
tive composition.  Certain  portrait  orders, 
however,  he  could  not  decline,  when  they  came 
from  his  papal  patrons,  or  his  own  intimates. 
In  the  end  he  produced  a group  of  pictures 
which  would  be  remarkable  from  any  source. 
Coming  from  Raphael,  they  astonish  us  in 


Pitti  Gallery,  Florence] 


[Raphael 


PORTRAIT  OF  JULIUS  II 


SIXTEENTH  CENTURY 


35 


showing  the  prince  of  idealists  as  a dispassion- 
ate realist. 

The  pope  Julius  II  is  the  dominant  per- 
sonality among  these  portraits,  as  fiery  in  the 
papal  chair  as  on  the  field  of  battle.  “ Why 
represent  me  with  a book?  ” he  had  once  said 
to  Michelangelo,  who  was  making  his  portrait 
bust,  “ Give  me  a sword.”  Age  might  en- 
feeble his  body,  but  not  the  spirit.  ITis  mood 
is  thoughtful,  but  he  broods  less  upon  the  past 
than  upon  the  future.  Even  while  he  rests, 
he  is  alert  for  action.  The  picture  in  the 
Uffizi  is  now  generally  regarded  by  critics 
as  the  original  of  the  several  paintings.  It 
is  curious  that  Michelangelo’s  bronze  bust  of 
Julius  was  melted  in  after  years  to  make  a 
cannon,  while  Raphael’s  portrait  has  proved  a 
“ monument  more  lasting  than  bronze.” 
Still  another  portrait  of  the  Pope  by  Raphael 
is  the  splendid  figure  introduced  into  the 
Chastisement  of  Heliodorus  in  the  Vatican 
hall  known  by  that  name. 

Julius  II  was  a handsome  old  man;  any 
artist  would  have  liked  such  a sitter.  But 
Leo  X was  fat  and  coarse  and  greasy;  it 


36 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


would  seem  that  nothing  could  be  made  of 
such  a subject,  except  by  idealizing  him  out 
of  all  recognition.  This  was  not  Raphael’s 
way.  He  was  as  unflattering  as  a Fleming 
in  his  veracity,  and,  like  a Fleming,  too,  he 
painted  the  pope’s  gold  embroidered  satin 
cope,  the  illuminated  breviary,  and  the  richly 
engraved  altar-bell  with  utmost  care.  His 
special  triumph  was  in  seizing  upon  an  ex- 
pression of  refinement  and  thoughtfulness 
which  redeems  the  face.  The  pope  is  seated 
at  a table,  with  two  cardinals,  his  nephew  and 
cousin,  standing  in  the  shadow  behind  the  cor- 
ners of  his  chair,  and  properly  subordinated 
to  the  principal  figure.  Such  a group  was 
quite  unique  at  the  time,  and  this  fact  with 
the  fine  scheme  of  colour,  and  the  unusual 
attention  to  detail,  give  the  picture  pre- 
eminence among  Raphael’s  works.  Another 
portrait  of  the  same  pope  was  introduced  by 
Raphael  into  the  composition  of  the  Rout  of 
Attila,  the  companion  fresco  of  the  Chastise- 
ment of  Heliodorus. 

Among  the  important  figures  at  the  papal 
court  in  Raphael’s  time  Cardinal  Bibbiena 


SIXTEENTH  CENTURY 


37 


was  very  influential.  He  had  in  his  youth 
been  a protege  of  Lorenzo  the  Magnificent, 
in  Florence,  and  was  a connoisseur  in  art  and 
letters.  He  performed  various  good  offices 
for  Raphael,  and  finally  arranged  a marriage 
between  the  painter  and  his  niece.  Raphael’s 
untimely  death,  however,  defeated  the  plan, 
but  he  had  in  the  meantime  painted  the  por- 
trait of  the  cardinal,  which  is  now  in  the 
Madrid  gallery.  The  thin  face  with  pointed 
features  has  all  the  marks  of  culture  and 
intellectuality.  But  the  painter  revealed  more 
than  he  perhaps  divined  himself,  of  the  cun- 
ning and  ambition  of  the  man.  Bibbiena 
indeed  finally  proved  too  cunning,  and,  losing 
favour  with  Leo  X,  he  met  a mysterious  death 
such  as  was  gruesomely  common  in  those 
days,  attributed  to  poison. 

Inghirami  was  another  favourite  of  Lo- 
renzo de’  Medici,  who  had  by  learning  and 
eloquence  won  a position  as  secretary  of 
Julius  II.  Leo  X was  also  his  liberal  patron, 
under  whom  he  might  have  risen  higher  had 
he  not  died.  There  are  two  accredited  por- 
traits of  Inghirami  by  Raphael,  one  in  the 


38 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Pitti,  Florence,  and  the  other  at  Fenway 
Court,  Boston.  The  secretary  sits  at  a table, 
writing,  and  lifts  his  head  as  if  for  inspiration, 
with  eyes  rolled  up  in  a seraphic  manner, 
somewhat  at  variance  with  his  stout  heavy 
featured  face. 

Of  all  Raphael’s  later  friends  none  was  of 
greater  service  to  him  than  the  Mantuan  poet, 
Baldassare  Castiglione.  It  was  not  by 
worldly  influence,  or  by  great  wealth,  but 
by  advice,  criticism,  suggestion,  and  inspira- 
tion, that  this  good  man  helped  the  artist  for- 
ward in  his  career.  In  the  midst  of  a corrupt 
and  self-seeking  generation,  Castiglione  was 
singularly  high-minded  and  disinterested.  In 
his  many  visits  in  Rome  he  was  always 
warmly  welcomed.  In  behalf  of  Isabella 
d’Este  he  entreated  Raphael  to  paint  some  pic- 
ture for  the  great  lady,  but  the  busy  young 
artist  never  found  time  to  All  the  order.  It 
is  interesting  to  notice,  however,  that  he  in- 
troduced a portrait  of  Isabella’s  young  son 
Federigo  (Whom  Francia  had  once  so  charm- 
ingly painted)  1 into  the  composition  of  the 


1 See  page  20. 


Louvre,  Paris] 


PORTRAIT  OF  JOANNA  OF  ARAGON 


[Raphael 


SIXTEENTH  CENTURY 


39 


School  of  Athens.  Raphael’s  portrait  of 
Castiglione  is  one  of  his  most  beautiful  colour 
harmonies,  as  well  as  a character  study  of 
profound  insight.  In  the  open  countenance, 
turned  frankly  to  ours  there  is  a genuineness 
which  we  should  hardly  imagine  possible  to  a 
courtier.  Yet  the  author  of  “ II  Cortegiano  ” 
knew  well  all  the  intricacies  of  social  life  in 
the  great  world.  It  seems  to  have  tact  and 
real  kindliness,  rather  than  cunning  or  diplo- 
macy, which  made  him  a general  favourite. 

Our  list  of  Raphael’s  Roman  portraits  must 
include  at  least  two  whose  subjects  were 
women.  The  regal  pose  and  raiment  of 
Joanna  of  Aragon  belie  the  childish  little  face 
with  the  hair  falling  to  the  beautiful  shoul- 
ders. There  is  little  but  doll-like  prettiness 
in  the  lady  herself,  but  the  picture  is  charm- 
ing in  decorative  quality.  The  Donna  Velata 
is  the  beautiful  model  for  the  Sistine  Ma- 
donna. Her  face  is  of  the  perfect  oval,  loved 
of  the  painter.  Though  wearing  the  dress  of 
the  Roman  matron,  the  painter  could  not  re- 
sist the  temptation  to  give  a Madonna-like 
touch  to  the  picture  by  throwing  a veil  over 


40 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


her  head.  The  eyes,  set  wide  apart,  have  the 
peculiar  far-sighted  look  which  gives  saintli- 
ness to  the  expression. 

Upon  Raphael’s  death  in  1520  his  follow- 
ers strove  to  imitate  him  in  religious  and  his- 
torical composition  rather  than  in  portrait 
work.  Out  of  the  vast  output  of  Raphael- 
esque  pictures  of  the  next  quarter  century 
there  are  extremely  few  portraits.  These 
few,  it  must  be  said,  are  far  more  creditable 
than  the  insipid  dilutions  of  the  master’s  re- 
ligious motives. 

In  the  meantime  Florence  continued  to 
show  a growing  interest  in  portraiture.  Pon- 
tormo stood  at  the  head  of  this  work  in  the 
middle  of  the  century,  and  passed  the  leader- 
ship on  to  his  pupil  Bronzino,  who  lived  fif- 
teen years  beyond  him.  Roth  men  were 
liberally  patronized  by  the  Medici,  and  did 
for  the  later  generation  of  this  great  house 
what  Botticelli  and  his  fellows  had  done  for 
the  ciders.  Pontormo  took  an  important  part 
in  preparations  for  the  triumphal  procession 
in  Florence  which  celebrated  the  accession  of 
the  Medici  Pope  Leo  X.  His  portrait  work 


SIXTEENTH  CENTURY  41 


was  conscientious  and  dignified,  and  not  in- 
frequently vigorous.  In  general  there  was 
not  much  fire  or  charm  in  it.  How  different 
is  the  young  Ippolito  Medici  of  his  handi- 
work, heavy  and  ordinary,  from  the  romantic 
youth  of  Titian’s  canvas.  Much  better  than 
the  Medici  portraits  is  the  picture  of  a sculp- 
tor in  the  Uffizi,  where  the  artistic  tempera- 
ment is  well  indicated.  There  is  also  a pro- 
file portrait  of  a fine  old  man  in  the  Pitti, 
quite  out  of  the  ordinary  in  interest. 

The  affection  between  Pontormo  and  his 
pupil  Bronzino  was  proverbial  in  Florence. 
The  older  man  introduced  a charming  figure 
of  the  youth  in  one  of  his  cassone  pictures, 
and  the  younger  reciprocated  by  placing  his 
master  in  a religious  composition,  Christ  in 
Limbo.  Bronzino  first  came  into  notice  dur- 
ing the  festivities  in  honour  of  the  marriage 
of  Duke  Cosimo  to  Eleanor  of  Toledo.  The 
duke  was  so  delighted  with  some  decorations 
executed  in  the  palace  that  he  gave  orders  for 
a chapel  to  be  decorated.  Then  followed  a 
series  of  all  the  family  portraits:  the  duke 
and  duchess  and  the  several  children,  some  of 


42 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


them  often  repeated.  A number  of  these  are 
now  in  the  Florentine  galleries,  interesting 
both  as  portrait  and  historical  studies.  Duke 
Cosimo  himself  illustrates  the  decadence  of 
his  house,  in  the  bullet-shaped  head,  with  close- 
cropped  hair,  and  hard  plebeian  countenance. 
The  refined  tyranny  of  the  ancestors  has  now 
become  a coarse  brutality.  The  Duchess 
Eleanor  is  described  in  Vasari’s  fulsome  flat- 
tery as  “a  lady  excellent  above  all  that  ever 
lived,  and  whose  infinite  merits  render  her 
worthy  of  eternal  praise.”  In  truth  she  seems 
an  amiable  and  placid  person,  with  her  hair 
parted  smoothly  and  decorously  over  her  wide 
brow.  She  wears  a brocade  of  huge  pattern, 
and  sits  with  conscious  dignity.  The  little  boy 
at  her  side  (Fernando)  is  utterly  charming. 
He  h as  no  princely  finery,  but  looks  as 
if  called  suddenly  from  the  nursery  in  his 
pinafore,  and,  nestling  against  his  mother, 
looks  out  with  bright-eyed  merriment  at  the 
caller.  There  is  nothing  so  spontaneous  in 
child  portraiture  up  to  this  time.  Don  Garcia 
is  equally  a child,  a fat  little  fellow,  laughing 
outright  as  he  holds  a bird  in  his  pudgy  hand. 


Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence] 


PORTRAIT  OF  DON  GARCIA 


[Bronzino 


SIXTEENTH  CENTURY  43 


He  wears  a pretty  satin  tunic  as  a prince 
should,  but  is  not  at  all  concerned  with  his 
dignity.  There  is  also  a serious  little  girl  of 
the  family,  not  pretty,  but  sweet  and  wistful. 
Though  one  could  multiply  the  list  of  por- 
traits by  Bronzino,  whose  number  exceeded 
even  the  patience  of  Vasari  in  enumerating, 
we  need  go  no  farther  to  see  that  the  new 
spirit  in  portrait  painting  has  fully  arrived, 
when  the  child  has  come  into  his  own. 


CHAPTER  III 


THE  VENETIAN  PORTRAIT  SCHOOL:  EARLY 
GROUP 

HEN  we  come  to  Venice,  we  begin 
our  study  of  Italian  portrait  paint- 
ing all  over  again.  Everything 
about  Venice  is  unique:  the  city,  the  history, 
the  people  and  the  art.  The  approach  is  by 
water  ways,  winding  among  the  coloured 
marbles  of  palace  fronts,  with  fairy  bridges 
uniting  one  stately  pile  with  another.  Black 
keeled  gondolas,  with  gleaming  silver  prows, 
glide  over  the  canals,  and  the  parti-coloured 
canvases  of  sailing  craft  move  out  into  the 
open.  The  atmosphere  is  charged  with 
colour,  rich,  variegated,  harmonious,  making 
the  city  a vast  mosaic,  like  those  filling  the 
domes  of  the  churches.  Hither  came  the  East 
and  the  West,  the  North  and  the  South,  to 
pour  their  diverse  influences  into  the  making 

44 


VENETIAN  SCHOOL 


45 


of  a perfect  whole.  The  spirit  of  the  Orient 
predominated.  From  Constantinople  came 
the  great  church  domes,  hanging  bell-like 
against  the  sky;  from  Constantinople,  more 
literally,  the  marble  pillars  and  treasures  of 
gold  and  silver  and  precious  stones  filling  the 
churches  with  beauty.  The  Oriental  love  of 
luxury  came  in  with  the  spoils:  the  passion 
for  rich  stuffs  and  jewels,  for  pomp  and  dis- 
play, for  festival  and  pageantry.  With  such 
qualities  in  the  ascendancy,  religious  worship 
became  a magnificent  ceremonial,  patriotism 
expressed  itself  in  noble  public  monuments, 
while  private  ambition  sought  gratification  in 
costly  palaces  and  lavish  entertainments.  In 
joy  and  pride  of  life,  Venice  was  the  personi- 
fication of  a splendid  egotism.  It  naturally 
followed  that  Venice  was  the  proper  field  for 
the  development  of  a portrait  school.  It  was 
the  first  state  in  Italy  to  make  provision  for 
official  portraits  of  her  rulers,  and  the  first 
likewise  to  support  a painter  devoted  exclu- 
sively to  this  one  branch  of  art. 

The  Venetian  portraits  of  the  Renaissance 
exhibit  that  perfect  colour  sense  which  has  set 


46 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


an  unattainable  standard  for  posterity:  rich 
yet  restrained,  brilliant  but  tempered  with 
sobriety.  In  the  seventeenth  century,  Rubens 
and  Van  Dyck  sought  by  careful  copying  to 
catch  some  inspiration  from  the  Venetian 
manner.  In  the  eighteenth  century  Reynolds 
tried  to  discover  the  Venetian  “ secret  ” by 
scraping  and  analysing  the  pigments  of  the  old 
canvases.  All  in  vain.  Among  their  many 
imitators  the  Venetians  still  remain  supreme. 
Never  again  can  the  same  conditions  of  life 
be  repeated  which  created  such  an  art. 

Colour  and  decorative  quality  being  of  so 
much  moment,  we  cannot  suppose  that  the 
Venetian  portraits  were  as  a class  strong  in 
point  of  likeness,  though  there  are  notable  ex- 
ceptions. The  one  essential  which  the  painter 
could  not  help  imparting  to  his  subject  was 
dignity.  Ceremony  was  the  business  of  life: 
the  portrait  had  to  show  the  immense  con- 
sequence of  the  Venetian.  It  goes  without 
saying  that  rich  costumes  were  much  in  evi- 
dence in  all  the  work  of  this  school,  and  the 
painter  was  expected  to  be  somewhat  flatter- 
ing. The  anemic  is  practically  unknown  in 


VENETIAN  SCHOOL 


47 


such  art;  every  man,  woman  and  child  is  well 
fed,  and  well  kept. 

The  Bellini  family,  Jacopo,  and  his  sons 
Gentile  and  Giovanni,  were  all  painting  por- 
traits in  Venice  in  the  mid-fifteenth  century. 
Jacopo  had  received  his  training  from  the 
Florentine  Gentile  da  Fabriano,  and  was,  we 
believe,  an  able  craftsman,  though  few  works 
remain  by  which  to  judge  him.  It  is  Gio- 
vanni who  brought  highest  honour,  both  to 
the  family  and  the  school.  He  is  the  repre- 
sentative Venetian  painter  of  his  period,  and 
in  some  respects  the  leader  of  all  fifteenth 
century  Italians.  His  continuous  activity 
through  the  entire  length  of  his  nearly  ninety 
years  meant  a large  output  of  portraits  as 
well  as  of  religious  and  historical  composi- 
tions. During  his  appointment  as  state 
painter  of  the  Republic  he  must  have  painted 
a great  number  of  prominent  personages,  in- 
cluding at  least  four  doges.  His  portrait 
work  was  admired  all  over  Italy,  and  Isa- 
bella d’Este  was  among  his  patrons.  Could 
all  his  work  have  been  preserved  it  would 
make  a gallery  as  representative  of  Venetian 


48 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


political  and  social  life  in  the  fifteenth  century, 
as  does  Titian’s  that  of  the  sixteenth  century. 
An  unfortunate  fate  has  swept  them  away, 
leaving  us  only  one  of  unquestionable  authen- 
ticity, the  Doge  Loredano.  As  a scientist  can 
deduce  an  entire  organism  from  a single  bone, 
so  the  critic  can  infer  from  this  single  por- 
trait the  distinguishing  qualities  of  Bellini’s 
art.  The  pose  is  that  of  a sculptured  bust, 
and  the  noble  old  man  carries  head  and  shoul- 
ders erect,  with  serene  dignity.  The  face  is 
austere  but  genial,  firm  but  magnanimous, 
and  altogether  splendidly  sane.  The  golden 
colour  and  decorative  costume  make  a rich 
ensemble  such  as  only  Venice  could  produce.1 
Such  was  the  quality  of  the  work  which  called 
forth  the  admiration  of  Diirer,  when  lie 
visited  Venice  and  made  friends  with  the  old 
man  Bellini.  Though  the  Nuremberger  could 
never  hope  to  emulate  the  Venetian  richness 
of  palette,  there  were  points  of  contact  be- 
tween the  two  men  in  the  sincerity  and  direct- 
ness of  their  style.2 

1 A profile  of  the  same  head  from  the  school  of  Bellini  is  in  the 
Dresden  gallery,  a copy  of  an  original  at  Bergamo.  2 See  page  103. 


National  Gallery,  London]  [Bellini 

PORTRAIT  OF  DOGE  LOREDANO 


VENETIAN  SCHOOL 


49 


Gentile  Bellini,  though  far  less  gifted  than 
his  brother,  was  yet  an  excellent  portrait 
painter.  He  was  sent  by  the  Venetian  senate 
to  Constantinople  in  place  of  Giovanni,  who 
had  received  the  invitation  but  was  too  busy 
to  leave.  Gentile  painted  the  portrait  of  the 
Emperor  Mahomet  who,  amazed  and  delighted 
at  the  likeness,  asked  if  the  painter  dared  por- 
tray his  own  features.  In  a few  day’s  time 
the  Venetian  brought  him  his  answer  in  a 
portrait  of  himself,  made  with  the  help  of  a 
mirror.  Such  a marvel  could  only  be  ex- 
plained on  the  hypothesis  that  some  divine 
spirit  had  been  pressed  into  the  service.  The 
Sultan  apparently  felt  rather  uneasy  over 
such  magic,  especially  as  the  Mohammedan 
law  was  as  strict  as  the  Mosaic  about  repre- 
sentations from  nature.  Gentile  was  not  long 
after  sent  back  to  Venice,  loaded  with  gifts 
and  honours. 

Antonello  da  Messina,  though  not  a native 
of  Venice,  came  to  that  city  in  1473,  when 
Giovanni  Bellini  was  well  advanced  in  his 
career.  Under  the  influence  of  this  master, 
and  in  Venetian  surroundings,  the  stranger 


50 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


made  a rapid  advance,  and  devoted  his  later 
years  almost  exclusively  to  portrait  painting. 
He  is  credited  with  introducing  into  Venice 
the  use  of  oils,  as  practised  in  Flanders.  In 
his  earlier  years  he  had  imbibed  much  of  the 
Flemish  spirit,  either  from  a visit  in  Flanders 
— a doubtful  hypothesis  — or  from  the  study 
of  Flemish  works.  The  union  of  these  two 
tendencies  makes  his  pictures  very  interesting. 
His  portrait  faces  are  in  three-quarters  front, 
in  the  Flemish  manner.  Some  of  them  sug- 
gest at  once  the  works  of  Van  Eyck.  The 
“ Condottiere,”  of  the  Louvre,  is  a kindred 
spirit  of  the  “ Man  with  the  Pinks,”  in  his 
aggressive  ugliness.1  He  has  a large,  coarse 
face,  framed  in  bushy  hair,  and  his  lower  lip 
is  thrust  out  truculently.  Such  uncompro- 
mising realism  is  more  Flemish  than  Vene- 
tian. Like  the  transalpine  painters  also, 
Antonello  sought  after  an  expressiveness 
which  means  more  than  mere  outward  beauty. 
Some  of  the  homeliest  and  most  unattractive 
of  his  subjects  are  strongly  characterized. 
Sometimes,  indeed,  in  his  effort  towards  ex- 


Seepage  87. 


VENETIAN  SCHOOL 


51 


pression,  he  exaggerates  his  lines  to  produce 
an  almost  strained  effect,  but  this  is  a fault 
which  the  much  greater  Diirer  sometimes  fell 
into.  Ten  existing  portraits  are  listed  as  his, 
all  men.  Like  Bellini,  he  apparently  painted 
only  the  bust  of  his  sitters.  A contemporary 
of  the  Bellini  and  Antonello  da  Messina  was 
Alvise  Vivarini,  whose  portrait  work  has  close 
affinity  with  these  men,  as  well  as  with  the 
younger  man  Lotto.  Recent  criticism  attrib- 
utes to  Vivarini  several  excellent  portraits. 

With  the  advent  of  Giorgione  a new  spirit 
entered  into  Venetian  art.  The  influence  of 
his  short  life  and  slender  output  is  incalcu- 
lable. So  fully  did  his  contemporaries  adopt 
his  manner,  that  critics  are  for  ever  perplexed 
in  settling  the  attributions  in  his  group.  Por- 
traits long  regarded  as  Titian’s,  like  the  Doc- 
tor Parma  of  the  Vienna  gallery,  and  the 
Cobham  Ariosto,  as  well  as  the  Poet  in  the 
National  Gallery,  attributed  to  Palma,  and 
the  Three  Ages  of  Man  (Pitti),  credited  to 
Lotto,  are  now  claimed  for  Giorgione.  It  is 
the  part  of  wisdom  to  designate  such  inter- 
changeable works  as  “ Giorgionesque,”  for  all 


52 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


have  in  common  the  qualities  which  the  Cas- 
telfrancan  painter  introduced. 

Giorgione  deepened  and  enriched  the  pre- 
vailing Venetian  palette,  and  softened  the 
outlines  which  with  Bellini,  Vivarini  and 
Antonello,  had  been  indicated  in  the  hard 
Flemish  manner.  He  had  also  extraordinary 
skill  in  rendering  textures.  Above  all,  he  in- 
troduced the  romantic  element  in  place  of  the 
matter  of  fact  and  prosaic.  The  remote  ex- 
pression, the  meditative  gaze,  the  air  of 
pensive  melancholy  lend  interest  to  the  plain- 
est subjects.  The  Knight  of  Malta  ponders 
his  pilgrimages,  the  youth  of  the  Berlin 
Gallery  dreams  of  his  love,  the  young  man  of 
Buda-Pesth  is  lost  in  his  memories.  The  lady 
of  the  Borghese  smiles  faintly,  as  if  pleased 
with  her  thoughts.  All  these  portraits  show 
the  hands,  which  add  not  a little  to  their  ex- 
pressiveness and  individuality.  It  was  not 
in  the  nature  of  Giorgione’s  art  to  give  great 
strength  or  virility  to  his  sitters,  but  he  im- 
parted the  essence  of  his  own  poetic  tempera- 
ment. His  portrait  work  struck  a graver 
note  than  his  subject  pieces,  which  are  serene 


VENETIAN  SCHOOL 


53 


and  joyous,  while  his  sitters  are  in  some 
instances  quite  serious. 

Palma  Vecchio  is  closely  associated  with 
Giorgione  in  the  development  of  Venetian  art 
in  the  qualities  which  are  its  distinctive  glory. 
His  colour,  though  not  so  rich  and  subtle  as 
Giorgione’s,  is  brilliant  and  glowing,  har- 
moniously blended  to  obliterate  all  hardness 
of  line.  Though  largely  occupied  with  altar- 
pieces,  he  was  much  sought  after  by  the  great 
Venetian  families  for  his  portrait  work.  He 
was  especially  popular  for  his  women’s  por- 
traits. The  fashionable  beauty  of  the  day 
must  needs  be  a blonde.  All  grand  ladies 
dyed  their  hair  golden,  and  prided  themselves 
on  the  whiteness  of  their  skin.  This  is  the 
type  reproduced  in  so  many  of  Palma’s  beau- 
tiful canvases.  Enhancing  the  charm  of  their 
beautiful  hair  and  dazzling  necks  are  the  rich 
costumes  of  brocade  and  gorgeous  stuffs 
which  the  Venetians  loved.  Palma’s  women 
are  not  especially  graceful,  and  are  mostly  too 
plump  for  elegance.  Nor  are  the  faces  at  all 
intellectual  or  expressive,  but  are  simply 
placid  and  sweet.  The  painter  was  not  a 


54 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


profound  thinker  or  even  a poet.  He  was 
somewhat  deficient  in  the  sense  of*  distinction 
so  marked  in  other  Venetians.  But  he  de- 
lighted in  the  beauty  of  flesh  and  blood,  and 
painted  them  con  amove. 

The  model  known  as  Violante,  once  errone- 
eously  thought  to  be  Palma’s  daughter, 
figures  very  often  in  his  pictures.  Her  por- 
trait in  the  Vienna  Gallery  probably  shows  the 
young  girl  pretty  nearly  as  she  was  in  real 
life.  The  face  is  amiable,  with  small  regular 
features,  though  without  piquancy  or  charm, 
but  the  waving  golden  hair,  and  the  full  white 
bust  and  shoulders  gleaming  above  her  rich 
dress,  make  her  a beautiful  creature.  She  is 
grandly  idealized  in  the  majestic  St.  Barbara, 
and  more  delicately  spiritualized  in  the  lovely 
St.  Lucy.  In  the  “ Jacob  and  Rachel  ” she  is 
a buxom  country  girl,  and  again  in  the  “ Sis- 
ters,” where  she  assumes  three  poses,  she  has 
developed  an  avoirdupois  which  no  amount  of 
finery  can  etherealize. 

Sebastian  del  Piombo  was  a Venetian  of 
the  same  generation  as  Palma  and  Giorgione, 
and  though  he  spent  the  greater  part  of  his 


VENETIAN  SCHOOL 


55 


life  in  Rome,  he  always  retained  some  of  the 
characteristic  Venetian  qualities  which  he  im- 
bibed in  his  early  years.  From  Raphael  and 
Michelangelo  he  derived  other  elements  which 
made  a unique  combination.  The  story  of  his 
rivalry  with  Raphael  makes  one  of  the  most 
gossipy  pages  of  art  history.  It  is  said  that 
one  day  when  Raphael  passed  through  the 
Vatican  with  his  retinue  of  pupils,  the  Vene- 
tian exclaimed,  “ You  go  by  like  the  Bargello 
with  his  posse,”  to  which  the  popular  favour- 
ite rejoined,  “ And  you  go  alone  like  the  ex- 
ecutioner.” After  describing  at  length 
Sebastian’s  religious  compositions,  Vasari 
goes  on  to  say,  “ To  tell  the  truth,  portrait 
painting  was  the  proper  vocation  of  Sebasti- 
ano.”  Then  follows  an  account  of  the  dis- 
tinguished sitters  whose  likenesses  were  “ so 
well  done  as  to  seem  alive.”  The  beautiful 
Vittoria  Colonna  is  in  the  list,  the  celebrated 
Andrea  Doria,  the  Pope  Adrian  (four  times), 
Aretino,  the  poet,  and  many  other  notables. 
As  Vasari  was  on  the  whole  unusually  severe 
in  his  estimate  of  Sebastian,  his  encomiums 
are  a bit  more  worth  noting  when  he  declares 


56 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


that  in  Florence  no  one  had  ever  equalled  the 
delicacy  and  excellence  of  his  work.  In  some 
of  his  women’s  portraits  certainly,  like  the 
“ Fornarina,”  and  the  Dorothea,  Sebastian 
embodied  with  great  charm,  the  type  of  a 
somewhat  languishing  beauty,  rendering  with 
much  decorative  effect  rich  mantles  of  velvet 
and  fur  to  set  off  the  beauty  of  a full 
white  neck.  His  art  has  been  aptly  described 
as  “ a happy  mixture  of  the  Giorgion- 
esque,  the  Itaphaelesque,  and  the  Michelangel- 
esque.” 

Lorenzo  Lotto  was  the  psychologist  of  his 
day.  He  surpassed  all  other  Venetians,  as 
Leonardo  surpassed  the  Florentines,  in  his 
power  of  insight.  Like  Giorgione,  he  was 
something  of  a poet,  but  with  the  difference 
that  his  poetic  temperament  was  dramatic 
rather  than  lyric.  Such  qualities  are  almost 
as  readily  discerned  in  portraiture  as  in  relig- 
ious subjects.  The  life  story  of  every  sitter 
may  he  suggested  by  certain  painters,  whereas 
others  represent  only  the  impenetrable  mask 
of  the  face.  The  unknown  lady  (Laura  da 
Pola?),  at  her  reading-desk,  with  her  prayer 


Brera  Gallery,  Milan]  [Lotto 

PORTRAIT  OF  AX  UNKNOWN  LADY 
(LAURA  DA  POLA  ?) 


VENETIAN  SCHOOL 


57 


book  in  her  hand,  is  so  completely  alone  with 
her  thoughts  that  we  seem  to  read  them  in  her 
countenance.  Though  the  rich  dress  betokens 
the  aristocratic  milieu  in  keeping  with  her  air 
of  distinction,  the  current  of  her  thoughts  is 
disturbed  by  doubts,  perplexities  and  long- 
ings. The  interpretation  is  noticeably  in  the 
minor  key,  as  is  apt  to  be  the  case  with  Lotto. 
The  Prothonotary  Julian,  splendid  in  the 
ermine  trimmed  robe  of  his  office,  calm  and 
dignified  in  the  pursuits  of  scholarship,  is  yet 
serious  almost  to  melancholy.  This  is  a por- 
trait superb  with  a decorative  ensemble  which 
reminds  one  of  Holbein.  The  table  with  its 
Oriental  covering,  on  which  lies  the  open  book, 
matches  the  setting  of  the  Erasmus.1  Like 
Holbein,  too,  Lotto  painted  the  sitters’  hands 
with  wonderful  expressiveness.  By  such  occa- 
sional resemblances  between  the  Venetian  and 
Northern  European  schools  we  are  reminded 
that  Venice  was  a half-way  house  for  trans- 
alpine travellers,  where  all  interesting  ideas 
were  cordially  welcomed.  The  characteristic 
Venetian  element  in  the  picture  which  we 

1 See  page  114. 


58 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


should  not  find  in  a Holbein  is  the  window 
opening  upon  a landscape. 

A strong  sense  of  intimacy  is  conveyed  in 
those  of  Lotto’s  portraits  where  the  eyes  meet 
ours.  This  is  the  case  with  the  Man  with  the 
Claw,  who  seems  explaining  to  us  the  wonder 
of  the  organism.  He  is  something  of  a mystic 
with  his  penetrating  gaze,  and  the  exagger- 
ated impressiveness  of  his  gesture.  In  direct 
contrast  is  the  homely  simplicity  of  Agostino 
and  Niccolo  della  Torre,  who  look  out  at  us 
frankly  with  entire  absence  of  pose.  They  are 
plain  and  kindly  souls,  with  genial  faces  un- 
troubled with  anxieties.  This  picture  belongs 
to  the  period  immediately  following  Lotto’s 
sojourn  in  Rome,  where  he  gained  something 
from  Raphael.  It  is  like  Raphael’s  work  in 
its  unflattering  realism,  recalling  the  portrait 
of  Castiglione.1  From  these  scattered  ex- 
amples we  see  the  compass  of  Lotto’s  work, 
and  his  own  peculiar  bent.  Keenly  sensitive 
and  sympathetic  in  nature,  he  seemed  to  read 
the  souls  of  men.  None  has  ever  understood 
better  how  to  express  in  a portrait  the  inner 

1See  page  39. 


VENETIAN  SCHOOL 


59 


life.  His  colour  links  him  closely  with  his 
generation  of  Venetians  and  shows  the  influ- 
ence of  Giorgione. 

Giorgione,  Palma  and  Lotto  were  all 
nearly  of  an  age,  though  Giorgione  dropped 
out  of  the  race  so  early  in  life  that  we  are 
wont  to  think  of  him  as  of  an  earlier  genera- 
tion. Titian  was  born  in  the  same  year  as 
the  Castelfrancan  (1477),  but  was  much  later 
in  maturing  his  art.  His  life  rounded  out 
nearly  a hundred  years,  bringing  his  highest 
achievement  so  well  into  the  sixteenth  century 
that  he  is  usually  identified  with  the  later 
group  of  Venetians. 


CHAPTER  IV 


TITIAN  AND  THE  LATER  VENETIANS 

O other  painter  ever  united  in  himself 
so  many  qualities  of  artistic  merit  as 
Titian.  The  chief  of  the  Venetian 
school,  he  represented  in  the  highest  degree 
all  its  characteristic  excellences.  If  others 
surpassed  him  in  single  efforts,  or  in  certain 
respects,  none  equalled  him  in  sustained 
grandeur.  In  his  extraordinary  length  of 
days  he  acquired  full  mastery  of  his  materials. 
There  was  nothing  in  craftsmanship  which  he 
could  not  accomplish  with  ease  and  rapidity. 
With  unsurpassed  technical  equipment  was 
combined  an  imagination  of  unlimited  range, 
powerful  yet  delicate,  dramatic  but  not  the- 
atrical, exuberant  but  restrained.  Delight- 
ing in  the  sheer  joy  of  living,  he  was  yet 
sensitive  to  the  most  subtle  phases  of  the  inner 
life.  Partaking  fully  of  the  Venetian  love 


Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence] 


[Titian 


PORTRAIT  OF  TITIAN 


TITIAN  AND  VENETIANS  61 


of  pomp  and  splendour,  he  knew  the  value  of 
simplicity.  Sometimes,  like  Palma,  he  painted 
a woman  merely  as  a beautiful  creature  of 
flesh  and  blood;  sometimes,  like  Giorgione, 
he  enveloped  his  sitters  in  an  atmosphere  of 
poetic  serenity,  or  again,  like  Lotto,  he  un- 
veiled the  secrets  of  a soul.  Most  frequently, 
however,  he  was  himself,  Titian,  giving  to 
his  subjects  that  air  of  nobility  which  no  one 
else  could  give,  an  appearance  of  entire  self- 
command.  He  was  by  turns  subjective  and 
objective,  always  putting  something  of  him- 
self into  his  work,  yet  capable  of  a thoroughly 
objective  realism.  His  colour,  rich,  profound, 
sonorous,  unites  all  tones  in  a perfect  chord. 

The  portrait  work  of  Titian  ran  side  by 
side  with  his  religious  and  mythological  sub- 
jects throughout  his  career.  His  patrons  were 
dwellers  in  kings’  palaces.  Emperors,  kings, 
doges,  popes,  cardinals  and  bishops,  noblemen, 
poets  and  beautiful  women  fill  his  canvases. 
Nor  was  there  one  among  all  these  great  per- 
sonages of  finer  bearing  than  the  painter 
himself.  “He  was  the  noblest  Roman  of 
them  all.”  A group  of  male  portraits  in  the 


62 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


decade  from  1520  to  1530  show  the  earlier 
methods  of  Titian.  The  simplest  elements  are 
used  to  produce  noble  effects.  The  figures  are 
in  half-length,  placed  high  on  the  canvas,  wear- 
ing plain  black  clothes,  relieved  only  by  a touch 
of  white  at  the  throat.  They  are  young  men, 
feeling  the  responsibility  of  their  caste,  high- 
bred, refined,  grave  and  thoughtful,  the  per- 
sonification of  repose.  One  of  these  was 
Tommaso  Mosti,  who  was  secretary  of  the 
Duke  of  Ferrara.  Another  has  been  called, 
but  probably  incorrectly,  Alessandro  de’ 
Medici,  but  the  majority  are  unknown.1  The 
most  winning  is  the  Man  with  the  Glove,  in 
the  Louvre,  a Venetian  Sir  Galahad. 

To  the  same  period  also  belong  some  por- 
traits of  a much  more  decorative  order.  One 
is  of  Federigo  Gonzaga,  in  three-quarters 
length,  richly  dressed,  standing  by  a table, 
with  his  hand  on  a little  pet  dog.  This  son  of 
Isabella  d’Este  had  been,  as  we  know  from 
Francia’s  portrait,2  a charming  boy.  His 
brilliant  mother  spared  no  pains  with  his  edu- 

1 In  the  Louvre,  and  in  Munich  and  Berlin. 

3 See  page  20. 


TITIAN  AND  VENETIANS  63 


cation,  and  he  spent  three  years  in  Rome  at 
the  court  of  Julius  II.  At  the  age  of  twenty 
he  succeeded  his  father  as  the  Duke  of  Man- 
tua, and  was  soon  after  made  Captain  General 
of  the  Church.  It  was  near  this  time  that  the 
portrait  was  painted,  showing  him  as  he  was, 
an  amiable  pleasure-loving  young  man  of 
fashion,  rather  than  a soldier  or  diplomat. 
Force  and  energy  were  not  Titian’s  special 
note  with  his  young  sitters.  On  the  other 
hand  the  portrait  of  the  Doge  Andreas 
Gritti,  painted  at  nearly  the  same  time,  shows 
all  the  force  of  an  imperious  will.  This  old 
man,  with  the  keen  glance,  and  firmly  com- 
pressed lips,  is  a ruler  not  to  be  trifled  with. 

In  1532  Titian  was  summoned  by  the  Em- 
peror Charles  V to  paint  the  first  of  the  long 
series  of  portraits  which  have  linked  the  name 
of  the  great  painter  with  the  court  of  Spain. 
Half  Flemish  and  half  Spanish,  Charles  was 
by  no  means  a prepossessing  subject.  His 
face  was  long  and  narrow,  and  his  lower  jaw 
protruded  unpleasantly.  Titian,  however, 
knew  how  to  throw  a kingly  glamour  over  the 
figure  which  overcame  all  defects.  Standing 


64 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


in  his  rich  court  dress,  with  his  hand  on  the 
head  of  a great  hound,  Charles  made  a splen- 
did and  spirited  picture.  Fifteen  years  later 
he  was  painted  again  in  all  the  weariness  of 
his  increasing  years,  seated  in  a large  arm- 
ehair.  The  painter  has  shown  great  insight 
into  the  character  of  the  morbid  and  weary 
old  man.  The  equestrian  portrait  of  the  same 
year  (1548)  is  accounted  by  some  one  of  the 
greatest  portraits  in  the  world,  while  others 
criticize  the  ignorance  of  equine  anatomy  which 
it  displays.  In  the  course  of  his  service  of  the 
emperor,  Titian  made  various  journeys  to  the 
towns  where  the  court  was  held,  Bologna, 
Mantua  and  Milan,  and  even  took  the  fatigu- 
ing journey  across  the  Alps  to  Augsburg, 
when  nearly  seventy  years  of  age.  His 
genius  was  highly  appreciated  by  his  royal 
patron:  he  received  a pension  and  was  created 
Count  Palatine  of  the  Empire,  and  Knight 
of  the  Golden  Spur.  The  story  is  told  that 
at  one  of  the  portrait  sittings,  Titian  let  fall 
a brush  which  the  emperor,  picking  up,  re- 
stored to  the  painter  with  the  gracious  words: 
“ Titian  is  worthy  to  be  served  by  Caesar.” 


TITIAN  AND  VENETIANS  65 


It  was  not  only  for  his  own  likeness  but  for 
many  other  pictures  that  the  emperor  em- 
ployed Titian.  One  of  his  most  interesting 
orders  was  for  a portrait  of  the  Empress  Isa- 
bella, who  had  died  in  1539.  This  work  was 
painted  with  the  help  of  an  old  picture,  and 
while  lacking  the  vitality  of  a direct  study, 
it  is  full  of  charm. 

In  the  last  years  of  his  life,  Charles  V, 
worn  out  with  the  cares  of  government,  re- 
tired to  a convent,  relinquishing  his  kingdom 
to  his  son  Philip  II.  In  the  new  monarch 
Titian  had  another  generous  patron  for  whom 
he  exercised  his  choicest  gifts.  Again  he 
made  the  impossible  possible  in  transforming 
ugliness  into  kingliness.  Philip  had  a poor 
figure,  with  large,  ungainly  feet,  and  his  fea- 
tures were  almost  repulsive.  His  eyes  v/ere 
large  and  bulging,  he  had  his  father’s  pro- 
jecting jaw  with  full  fleshy  lips,  which  his 
scanty  beard  could  not  conceal.  In  spite  of 
these  difficulties,  Titian  made  him  the  subject 
of  some  of  his  finest  portrait  work.  Whether 
standing  in  splendid  suit  of  gold  inlaid 
armour,  or  in  rich  court  dress  of  embroidered 


66 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


velvet,  Philip  looks  every  inch  a king,  grave, 
self-contained,  distinguished.  A full-length 
portrait  in  armour  was  sent  to  Queen  Mary 
of  England  in  furtherance  of  the  king’s  suit 
for  her  royal  hand.  Word  was  returned  that 
she  was  “ greatly  enamoured  ” of  the  portrait, 
and  the  marriage  was  soon  after  effected. 
Philip,  however,  was  never  popular  in  Eng- 
land, and  after  Queen  Mary’s  death  returned 
to  Spain  to  spend  the  rest  of  his  life.  Cruel, 
sensual  and  fanatic,  his  reign  is  a poor  record 
of  mistakes  and  atrocities.  Nevertheless, 
while  better  kings  are  forgotten,  he  achieved 
an  immortality  due  largely  to  the  genius  of 
Titian. 

For  psychological  insight  the  group  of  por- 
traits for  the  Pope  Paul  III  show  Titian  at  his 
best.  It  was  in  1543  that  he  was  invited  by 
the  Cardinal  Farnese  to  Ferrara  and  Brussels, 
where  he  painted  the  portraits  both  of  his 
host  and  the  old  pope.  This  was  the  pope,  it 
will  be  remembered,  who  excommunicated 
Henry  VIII,  who  assembled  the  Council  of 
Trent,  and  who  ordered  the  Last  Judgment 
to  be  painted  by  Michelangelo  in  the  Sistine 


TITIAN  AND  VENETIANS  67 


chapel.  A saving  sense  of  humour  was  his 
most  agreeable  trait.  One  recalls  with  amuse- 
ment his  reply  to  the  chamberlain  who  com- 
plained of  being  portrayed  by  Michelangelo 
in  the  Inferno.  “ If  it  had  been  in  Purga- 
tory, I might  have  done  something  for  you, 
but  I have  no  authority  in  hell.”  Something 
cunning  in  the  sharp  old  eyes,  something 
sinister  in  the  wide  mouth,  whose  shape  is  de- 
fined even  beneath  the  heavy  moustache  and 
beard,  and  something  wary  in  the  peculiar 
drooping  pose  of  the  head  strike  us  at  once 
in  these  portraits.  Two  years  later  Titian 
was  called  to  Rome,  and  once  again  painted 
the  pope  with  powerful  effect.  The  old  man 
is  seated  by  a table,  attended  by  the  Cardinal 
Farnese  and  his  grandson  Ottavio.  The  com- 
position recalls  that  of  Raphael’s  Leo  X,  with 
differences.  The  pope  turns  to  address  Ot- 
tavio who  bends  obsequiously  towards  him. 
The  self -revelation  of  both  men  is  amazing: 
the  old  man,  cunning  as  a fox,  the  youth, 
vain  and  fawning. 

From  the  immense  popularity  of  his  work 
Titian  derived  an  income  which  enabled  him 


68 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


to  live  like  a prince.  When  somewhat  over 
fifty  years  of  age  he  set  up  an  establishment 
at  Casa  Grande,  just  outside  Venice,  in  a 
spot  overlooking  the  lagoon,  opposite  Murano. 
Here  he  laid  out  a beautiful  garden,  and  here 
he  entertained  his  guests  with  lavish  hospital- 
ity. His  wife  having  died  a few  years  before, 
the  darling  of  the  home  was  his  daughter 
Lavinia.  In  her  girlhood  Lavinia  made  a 
charming  portrait  subject.  Richly  dressed 
in  brocade,  and  with  jewels  in  her  bright  hair, 
Titian  painted  her  lifting  high  a plate  of 
fruit.  The  pose  was  exactly  suited  to  the 
curves  of  her  plump  figure,  and  her  fresh 
colour  and  vivacious  smile  lent  themselves  to 
the  pretty  conceit.  Her  beauty  was  not,  how- 
ever, of  a lasting  kind.  When  a few  years 
after  her  father  again  painted  her  portrait 
in  honour  of  her  betrothal,  she  had  already 
lost  her  kittenish  grace.  She  stands  rather 
awkwardly,  though  with  something  of  a shy 
sweetness  in  the  expression,  holding  a fan  in 
one  hand.  What  the  figure  lacks  in  grace  is 
amply  made  up  in  the  brilliant  treatment  of 
the  flesh,  and  the  texture  painting.  Ten 


TITIAN  AND  VENETIANS  69 


years  later  Lavinia  had  become  a stout  ma- 
tron, bourgeoise  and  amiable,  but  not  inter- 
esting, still  richly  dressed  and  carrying  her 
large  feather  fan  complacently.  Two  por- 
traits of  this  period  are  quite  commonplace. 

This  group  of  pictures  suggests  Titian’s 
characteristic  point  of  view  in  women’s  por- 
traits. Though  he  loved  Lavinia  devotedly, 
he  did  not  try  to  invest  her  with  any  romantic 
glamour.  He  seemed  to  reserve  his  more 
poetic  and  psychological  moods  for  men. 
Even  in  painting  the  Virgin  and  saints  he 
did  not  touch  a much  higher  key  than  in  his 
mythological  subjects.  Life,  abundant, 
serene  and  joyous,  was  his  theme.  With  a 
beautiful  woman  before  him,  he  lavished  con- 
summate skill  upon  her  hair,  her  neck  and  her 
fine  raiment,  but  ignored  the  psychic  factor. 
The  Flora  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  his 
women,  the  model  for  the  Medea  and  Venus 
(“  Sacred  and  Profane  Love”).  What  art 
lover  does  not  recall  with  delight  the  long 
curve  made  by  her  drooping  head,  the  soft 
appealing  eyes,  the  hair  shimmering  like  spun 
gold  against  the  white  skin?  Yet  Flora  is 


70 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


only  a beautiful  soulless  creature.  La  Bella 
carries  her  head  like  an  exquisite  flower  on  a 
long  stem.  Every  feature  is  perfect,  every 
line  of  her  figure  graceful,  she  has  the  bearing 
of  a princess.  But  she  is  a figure-head,  rather 
than  a woman  of  thought  and  character. 
Eleanora  Gonzaga  might  well  feel  flattered  to 
have  her  features  so  idealized,  but  the  painter 
did  scant  justice  to  “ the  wisdom,  genius, 
courtesy  and  refinement  ” which  the  courtier 
Castiglione  attributed  to  her.  Eleanora  was 
in  the  forties  when  Titian  painted  the  com- 
panion portraits  of  the  Duke  of  Urbino  and 
his  good  wife.  Francesco  Maria  della  Rovere 
was  general-in-chief  of  the  Venetian  forces,  a 
man  of  military  prowess  and  very  violent 
temper.  His  portrait  in  full  armour  gives 
complete  expression  to  his  warlike  spirit. 
The  duchess  is  amiable,  placid,  and  as  in  the 
Bella  picture,  not  over  intellectual.  Another 
great  lady  whom  Titian  painted  was  Isabella 
d’Este,  but  this  portrait  is  known  only  in 
Rubens’s  copy.  Allowing  amply  for  the  dif- 
ference between  painter  and  copyist,  we  must 
yet  be  disappointed  that  the  most  intellectual 


Pitti  Gallery,  Florence] 


PORTRAIT  OF  LA  BELLA 


[Titian 


TITIAN  AND  VENETIANS  71 


woman  of  her  period  should  look  so  wooden.1 
It  seems  another  proof  of  Titian’s  lack  of 
interest  in  feminine  psychology. 

The  friends  and  associates  of  Titian  repre- 
sented the  wit  and  learning,  as  well  as  the 
wealth  and  aristocracy  of  Venice.  One  of  his 
closest  intimates  was  Aretino.  This  poet  has 
been  called  the  “ founder  of  modern  journal- 
ism,” and  certainly  his  influence  was  as 
powerful  as  the  press  of  to-day,  a letter,  a 
poem  or  an  epigram  from  his  hand  making  or 
breaking  a reputation.  He  was  by  turns  flat- 
tering, abusive,  ironical,  insinuating.  His 
character  was  notoriously  licentious,  but  he 
was  assiduously  feted,  for  everybody  feared 
him.  If  there  was  any  good  side  to  this 
strange  man,  he  showed  it  to  Titian.  The 
two  enjoyed  many  tastes  in  common,  espe- 
cially the  love  of  nature,  and  the  love  of  art. 
A letter  from  Aretino  to  the  painter  describ- 
ing a sunset,  ends  with  a genuine  tribute  to 
his  friend’s  art.  “ What  marvellous  clouds 
they  were,”  he  wrote,  “ I gazed  astonished  at 
the  varied  colours  they  displayed.  The  nearer 

1 See  pages  20  and  28  for  references  to  other  portraits  of  Isabella. 


72 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


masses  burned  with  flames  of  sunset,  the  more 
remote  blushed  with  a blaze  of  crimson  less 
afire.  Oh,  how  splendidly  did  Nature’s  pencil 
treat  and  dispose  that  airy  landscape,  keeping 
the  sky  apart  from  the  palaces,  just  as 
Titian  does.  . . . With  her  lights  and  her 
darks,  there  she  was,  harmonizing,  toning,  and 
bringing  out  into  relief  just  as  she  wished. 
Seeing  which,  I,  who  know  that  your  pencil 
is  the  spirit  of  her  inmost  soul,  cried  aloud, 
thrice  or  four  times,  ‘ Oh  Titian,  where  are  you 
now?  ’ ” It  is  the  finer  Aretino  of  such  im- 
passioned outbursts  whom  Titian’s  portrait 
reveals,  splendidly  dressed  as  a prince,  with 
noble  bearing  and  an  expression  of  poetic  in- 
sight which  redeems  the  sensual  face.  The 
mouth  so  habituated  to  a sneer  is  partly  con- 
cealed with  the  long  heavy  beard. 

Time  and  space  would  fail  to  describe  in 
full  the  noble  company  of  sitters  who  still  live 
on  Titian’s  canvases.  Vitality  is  their  com- 
mon possession.  They  live  and  breathe  as 
truly  as  when  they  sat  in  Titian’s  studio  over 
three  hundred  years  ago.  Yet  they  all  belong 
to  a higher  sphere  than  our  common  every- 


TITIAN  AND  VENETIANS  73 


day  world,  as  if  they  had  their  being  in  a 
rarefied  atmosphere  of  noble  sentiment.  Or 
again,  it  is  as  if,  in  some  one’s  fanciful  phrase, 
“ they  had  sat  to  music.”  Their  eyes  do  not 
meet  ours  with  any  sense  of  intimacy;  their 
glance  is  averted  with  fine  reserve. 

As  years  went  by,  honours  increased  upon 
Titian.  In  1574  King  Henry  III  of  France, 
passing  through  Venice  as  the  guest  of  the 
Republic,  visited  the  painter,  and  found  him 
at  the  age  of  ninety-seven  still  hale  and 
hearty,  still  painting,  and  still  entertaining 
with  princely  hospitality.  Two  years  later 
he  died  of  the  plague,  having  nearly  rounded 
out  a century  of  life. 

A follower  of  Titian  who  caught  the  mas- 
ter’s spirit  in  an  extraordinary  degree  was 
Paris  Bordone,  a man  whose  works  are  not 
numerous  enough  to  give  him  his  deserved 
place  in  Venetian  art.  Some  splendid  por- 
traits from  his  hand  show  a rare  gift  of  colour. 
The  most  attractive  are  of  women.  They  em- 
body in  full  perfection  the  blonde,  Venetian 
type  of  beauty,  but  are  somewhat  stiff  in  pose. 


74 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


A charming  portrait  of  a little  boy  shows  how 
well  he  understood  child  life. 

Tintoretto  was  a follower  of  Titian  by  dint 
of  his  own  perseverance.  His  stay  in  the 
master’s  studio  was  of  brief  duration,  termi- 
nated according  to  tradition  by  Titian’s  jeal- 
ousy of  his  precocious  pupil.  There  was  noth- 
ing, however,  to  hinder  the  young  man  from 
studying  Titian’s  works  scattered  throughout 
Venice.  Inspired  by  their  splendid  colour,  he 
took  for  his  ambitious  standard,  “ the  draw- 
ing of  Michelangelo  and  the  colour  of  Titian.” 
A little  episode  shows  his  cleverness  as  an 
imitator.  Taking  a sketch  by  Titian  he  cov- 
ered it  with  lampblack,  and  then  painted  a 
head  in  Titian’s  manner  on  the  same  canvas. 
Exhibiting  this  to  a company  of  artists  who 
had  been  boasting  of  their  knowledge  of  the 
master’s  art,  they  all  agreed  that  this  was  a 
real  Titian,  whereupon  Tintoretto,  erasing 
the  lampblack,  showed  them  how  few  really 
understood  painting. 

Tintoretto  first  attracted  notice  through 
some  portraits  painted  with  peculiar  lights 
and  shadows  which  suggested  the  epigram: 


Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence] 


PORTRAIT  OF  A BOY 


[Paris  Bordone 


TITIAN  AND  VENETIANS  75 


“ If  Tintoretto  shines  thus  in  the  shades  of  night 
What  will  he  do  when  radiant  day  has  risen  ? ” 

In  later  years  his  work  lay  largely  in  the  line 
of  great  decorative  schemes,  but  he  had  be- 
sides a wide  vogue  for  portraiture.  He  lived 
nearly  twenty  years  after  Titian’s  death,  and 
with  indefatigable  industry,  produced  a 
volume  of  work  far  exceeding  that  of  any 
other  Italian.  Sebastian  del  Piombo  re- 
marked that  Tintoretto  could  paint  in  two 
days  as  much  as  he  himself  in  two  years. 

One  of  his  patrons  was  Aretino,  who  was, 
as  we  have  seen,  greatly  feared  for  his  sharp 
tongue.  During  the  portrait  sitting  the 
painter  suddenly  approached  the  poet,  taking 
a large  pistol  from  his  doublet.  Aretino  drew 
back  with  a start,  when  Tintoretto,  applying 
the  weapon  as  a measuring  stick,  calmly  re- 
marked, “You  stand  two  pistols  and  a half 
high.”  It  is  said  that  Aretino,  bully  as  he 
was,  afterwards  treated  the  painter  with 
marked  respect.  Sansovino  was  another  of 
his  famous  sitters.  The  architect  spent  the 
latter  half  of  his  life  in  Venice,  where  he  de- 
signed many  buildings,  and  was  held  in  high 


76 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


esteem.  Vasari  gives  us  a delightful  account 
of  his  old  age,  corresponding  closely  to  the 
impression  of  Tintoretto’s  portrait.  “ He 
had,”  he  wrote,  “ an  exceedingly  venerable 
appearance;  with  his  beautiful  white  beard 
he  still  retained  the  carriage  of  his  youth:  he 
was  strong  and  healthy,  even  to  his  ninety- 
third  year,  and  could  see  the  smallest  object 
at  whatever  distance.”  Another  grand  old 
man  was  the  Doge  Marcantonio  Trevisano, 
wearing  an  ermine  cape,  and  the  cap  of  his 
office.  As  he  sits  erect  and  commanding,  one 
cannot  imagine  infirmity  making  any  inroads 
upon  so  impregnable  a constitution. 

Tintoretto’s  distinctive  contribution  to 
Venetian  portrait  painting  was  his  pictures 
of  old  men:  senators,  procurators,  and  dig- 
nitaries of  various  sorts.  Apparently  he  was 
not  flattering  enough  to  be  popular  as  a 
painter  of  women.  No  one  previous  to  Rem- 
brandt had  so  fully  understood  the  beauty  of 
age:  the  expressiveness  of  wrinkled  skin,  of 
hollow  cheeks  and  sunken  eyes,  and  the  glory 
of  white  hair.  But  Rembrandt  was  inclined 
to  emphasize  the  element  of  pathos,  while 


Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence]  [Tintoretto 

PORTRAIT  OF  THE  ARCHITECT,  SANSOVINO 


TITIAN  AND  VENETIANS  77 


Tintoretto  preferred  the  note  of  strength.  In 
the  old  men  of  his  canvases  the  unquenchable 
fire  of  youth  still  burns  brightly,  the  spirit 
triumphs  over  the  infirmities  of  years.  The 
splendid  virility  of  these  veterans  makes  us 
wonder  anew  at  the  conditions  of  life  which 
produced  such  specimens  of  mankind.  His 
subjects  have  the  gravity  characteristic  of  the 
Venetian  school;  they  take  their  portrait  sit- 
tings solemnly.  They  lack  the  air  of  grand 
distinction  which  Titian  imparted,  and  they 
are  not  the  dreamers  Giorgione  would  have 
made  them,  but  they  meet  our  gaze  with  an 
air  of  living  reality. 

Included  in  the  school  of  Venice  are  cer- 
tain painters  of  North  Italy  who  felt  directly 
or  indirectly  the  influence  of  the  great  Vene- 
tians. Romanino  of  Brescia  was  one  such. 
In  his  early  manhood  he  spent  a few  years 
in  Venice  studying  the  works  of  Giorgione, 
whose  golden  tone  he  in  some  measure  ac- 
quired. His  occasional  portrait  work  was 
admirable,  showing  the  characteristics  of  his 
Venetian  model.  Of  Brescia,  too,  was  Mo- 
retto,  who,  though  not  really  visiting  Venice, 


78 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


was  actuated  by  a spirit  akin  to  the  Venetians. 
He  excelled  as  a portrait  painter,  giving  his 
sitters  an  air  of  great  distinction.  Among 
other  notable  patrons,  he  is  known  to  have 
taken  the  likeness  of  the  poet  Aretino.  Much 
of  his  work  was  for  the  house  of  Montinen- 
gro,  for  whom  he  decorated  the  Palazzo  della 
Fabbrica  in  Brescia.  In  one  room  a land- 
scape motive  is  finished  in  the  foreground  by 
a simulated  balustrade  which  forms  a portrait 
setting  for  various  figures.  Here  and  there, 
as  if  taking  the  air  in  their  own  garden,  a 
pretty  young  princess  pauses  with  her  pet 
dog,  to  smile  at  the  spectator.  There  is  an 
old-time  charm  about  the  work  which  the 
artificiality  of  the  plan  in  no  wise  destroys. 

The  Count  Sciarra  Martinengro  was  one  of 
the  most  interesting  of  this  long-pedigreed 
family.  Pie  was  educated  at  the  French 
court,  where  he  remained  till  the  assassination 
of  his  father  called  him  home  to  avenge  the 
crime.  In  the  confusion  of  the  encounter  with 
the  assassin  in  a public  square  the  young 
nobleman  accidently  killed  the  wrong  man, 
the  victim  being  a kinsman.  The  misfortune 


TITIAN  AND  VENETIANS  79 


deeply  affected  his  sensitive  nature.  He 
threw  himself  into  a life  of  adventure  and 
finally  fell  in  fighting  with  the  Huguenots. 
The  unique  charm  of  this  personality  is  won- 
derfully preserved  in  Moretto’s  famous  por- 
trait of  the  National  Gallery.  The  gentle- 
man stands  leaning  on  a table,  his  cheek 
supported  on  his  hand,  lost  in  revery.  A 
splendid  ermine  collar  falls  over  his  velvet 
tunic,  a plumed  hat  is  worn  in  French  fash- 
ion : he  is  the  impersonation  of  romantic 

melancholy. 

The  most  distinguished  of  Moretto’s  pupils 
was  Morone,  who  is  known  almost  exclusively 
for  his  numerous  portrait  works.  Some  of  his 
pictures  have  been  attributed  to  Titian,  so 
strong  was  the  kinship  between  the  two  men. 
It  is  even  said  that  Titian  often  recommended 
patrons  to  him.  Almost  everybody  knows 
the  famous  Tailor  of  the  National  Gallery, 
looking  up  from  his  cutting-table,  scissors  in 
hand,  in  the  midst  of  his  task.  His  white 
doublet  and  red  hose  are  delightfully  painted. 
A peculiar  tinge  of  melancholy  colours  the 
portraits  by  Morone,  due  partly  to  a dis- 


80 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


pirited  carriage  of  the  head,  and  partly  to  the 
haunting  expression  of  the  eyes,  which  look 
directly  into  ours.  In  the  Tailor  this  seems 
like  shyness,  in  the  lady  of  the  National  Gal- 
lery, gentle  timidity,  in  the  Widower  of  the 
National  Gallery  of  Ireland,  it  is  genuine 
sorrow,  in  the  man  of  the  Uffizi,  it  is  positive 
moroseness.  The  extreme  lifelikeness  of  the 
portraits  comes  both  from  the  qualities  of 
painting  and  the  intimacy  of  the  direct  gaze. 
The  little  girl  of  the  Bergamo  Gallery  is  a 
delightful  child,  one  of  the  dear,  every-day 
homespun  kind. 

Veronese,  the  latest  and  most  distinguished 
of  the  naturalized  Venetians,  devoted  himself 
so  completely  to  large  scenic  compositions 
that  he  had  no  time  for  portrait  painting.  It 
was  only  as  he  introduced  contemporary  like- 
nesses into  his  religious  subjects  that  we  see 
how  admirably  he  adapted  himself  to  this 
branch  of  art.  In  the  Marriage  at  Cana, 
Alfonso  d’ Avalos  figures  as  the  bridegroom, 
and  Eleanor,  wife  of  the  King  of  France,  as 
the  bride.  Charles  V,  Francis  I,  Solvman  I, 
and  Queen  Mary  of  England  are  among 


Carrara  Gallery,  Bergamo] 

PORTRAIT  OF  A LITTLE  GIRL 


[Morone 


i £) 


TITIAN  AND  VENETIANS  81 


the  guests.  The  musicians  represent  the 
leading  Venetian  painters  of  Veronese’s 
day:  Titian,  Tintoretto,  Jacopo  Bassano, 

and  Veronese  himself.  In  the  Christ  at 
Emmaus  are  the  most  delightful  real  chil- 
dren, some  of  them,  the  painter’s  own. 
A beautiful  blonde  woman  stands  at  one 
side,  holding  a babe  on  one  arm  like  a 
veritable  Madonna,  a little  girl  nestling 
at  her  side.  A small  boy  on  the  other  side 
peeps  out  from  the  shelter  of  her  long  cape, 
to  watch  the  antics  of  a pet  dog  held  by  a 
somewhat  larger  boy  kneeling  on  the  pave- 
ment. In  front  of  the  table  two  little  girls 
play  with  a big  dog  between  them.  The  grace 
and  naivete  of  these  children  anticipate  by 
two  hundred  years  the  spirit  of  Sir  Joshua 
Reynolds.  The  child  had  been  made  very 
little  account  of  in  Venice,  much  less  it  would 
seem  than  elsewhere  in  Italy.  Only  in  the 
disguise  of  angel  musicians  had  children  had 
a place  in  the  sumptuous  art  of  the  great  city. 
The  portrait  painters  evidently  rarely  re- 
ceived orders  for  the  likenesses  of  the  sons  and 
daughters  of  their  patrons.  At  the  height  of 


82 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Venetian  development  comes  this  new  note 
from  Veronese,  to  bring  to  full  completion 
the  splendid  work  of  the  Venetian  portrait 
school. 


CHAPTER  V 


THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 
IN  THE  NETHERLANDS 

HILE  fifteenth-century  Italy  was 
rising  from  the  new  birth  of  art  into 
the  full  perfection  of  her  powers, 
wonderful  things  were  also  taking  place  on 
the  other  side  of  the  Alps.  The  impulse  of 
awakening  was  felt  all  over  Europe,  and  in 
the  north,  as  well  as  in  the  south,  a new  era 
opened  with  the  new  century.  The  form  in 
which  the  art  spirit  expressed  itself  would 
naturally  vary  with  temper  and  environment. 
Even  Venice,  as  we  have  seen,  differed  materi- 
ally from  Florence  in  her  art.  Much  more 
would  the  Flemish  cities  differ  alike  from 
Venice  or  Florence.  In  the  Middle  Ages  the 
northern  temper  had  worked  itself  out  in 
Gothic  architecture,  and  in  the  Renaissance, 
the  same  temper  must  inevitably  work  out  an 
equally  distinctive  style  of  painting. 


84 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


In  the  first  place,  mural  painting,  which 
was  so  prominent  in  Italian  art,  was  of  almost 
no  account  in  Flanders  and  Germany.  The 
style  of  building  neither  required  nor  ad- 
mitted it.  Religious  painting  took  the  form 
of  many  panelled  altar-pieces.  The  art  effort 
was,  so  to  speak,  concentrated  in  small  spaces. 
This,  as  to  mere  externals.  As  to  methods, 
the  fifteenth-century  Flemish  loved,  above  all 
things,  the  minute  detail.  They  regarded  no 
smallest  thing  as  insignificant,  and  dignified 
even  the  most  commonplace  trifles  with  skil- 
ful craftsmanship.  To  beauty  of  line  they 
preferred  richness  of  stuff:  large-figured 

brocades  and  Oriental  hangings,  garments 
trimmed  with  fur,  or  embroidered  with  gems, 
heavy  crowns  of  gold  and  jewelled  brooches. 
So,  too,  to  go  deeper,  it  was  not  beauty  of 
feature  they  cared  for  in  the  human  face,  but 
the  exact  delineation  of  surface,  the  careful  re- 
production of  every  irregularity  or  blemish, 
the  minute  tracing  of  every  seam  and  wrinkle 
which  makes  for  expression  or  character. 
Their  art  was  addressed  to  the  mind  as  well 
as  to  the  eye.  Such  qualities  were  all  favour- 


IN  THE  NETHERLANDS  85 


able  to  portrait  painting.  It  was  as  if  North- 
ern Europe  were  the  soil  designed  by  nature 
for  the  growth  of  this  particular  branch  of 
art. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  fifteenth  century, 
the  two  brothers  Van  Eyck  gave  a great  im- 
petus to  the  material  side  of  painting  by  their 
methods  of  using  oil.  To  what  extent  they 
were  either  discoverers  or  inventors  is  of  no 
consequence  to  us.  The  fact  remains  that 
their  practical  application  of  this  medium 
greatly  benefited  their  own  countrymen  and 
the  Italians  as  well.  The  Ghent  altar-piece, 
which  was  their  joint  production,  finished  in 
1432,  brought  Flemish  art  by  a single  stride, 
into  line  with  contemporary  Florentines.  It 
did  more.  It  set  up  a standard  of  portrait 
painting  for  all  the  fifteenth -century  Flemish 
to  follow.  The  donors  of  the  picture,  Jodocus 
Vyt  and  his  good  wife  Isabella,  kneeling  with 
sanctimonious  gravity  on  the  outer  shutters, 
are  delineated  to  the  very  life.  There  is  no 
artistic  evasion  here.  The  task  is  not  made 
purposely  easy  by  posing  the  figures  in  pro- 
file, or  reducing  them  to  half  length.  The 


86 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


painter  faced  his  problem  squarely  and  solved 
it  successfully.  Jodocus  is  uncompromisingly 
himself  in  every  line  of  his  big  commonplace 
face,  and  every  wrinkle  of  his  fine  old  hands. 
Isabella,  too,  is  neither  prettier  nor  plainer 
than  in  real  life,  somewhat  careworn,  but 
wearing  her  years  and  honours  with  dignity. 
The  Canon  George  de  Pala,  donor  of  the 
altar-piece  in  the  Bruges  Academy,  is  a mar- 
vel of  character  revelation.  A book  in  one 
hand,  pince-nez  in  the  other,  he  kneels  on  the 
pavement  in  complacent  self-sufficiency,  the 
coarse  aggressive  face  heavily  seamed  with 
lines  of  self-indulgence.  The  Chancellor 
Rollin,  donor  of  the  altar-piece  in  the  Louvre, 
is  a man  of  quite  different  type,  sincere  and 
devout. 

Other  portraits  by  Jan  Van  Eyck  keep  up 
to  the  same  standard  of  psychological  signifi- 
cance. Instead  of  the  rather  wooden  profiles, 
such  as  his  Italian  contemporaries  were  paint- 
ing, he  portrayed  the  open  countenance. 
The  portrait  of  the  painter’s  wife,  in  the 
Bruges  Academy,  is  an  interesting  and  beau- 
tiful picture  of  a woman  not  specially  inter- 


IN  THE  NETHERLANDS  87 


esting  or  beautiful  herself,  and  this  because 
she  lets  us  read  her  open  face  so  frankly. 
Another  fine  portrait  by  Van  Eyck  is  of  an 
old  man  in  the  Vienna  Gallery.  The  face  is 
smooth -shaven,  showing  the  modelling  of  the 
nice  mouth.  There  is  a lovely  net- work  of 
lines  around  the  kindly  eyes,  and  though  he 
is  as  plain  as  plain  can  be,  he  is  thoroughly 
attractive  and  likable.  The  Man  with  a Tur- 
ban in  the  National  Gallery  is  refined  and  dis- 
tinguished, with  thin,  sharp  features,  and 
expressive  eyes. 

The  “ Man  with  the  Pinks  ” is  ludicrously 
ugly.  A modern  portrait  painter  would  pose 
him  to  bring  out  his  best  points,  and  soften 
his  defects.  Van  Eyck  was  quite  innocent  of 
such  flattery.  It  would  even  seem  as  if  he 
purposely  arranged  the  head  to  the  man’s  dis- 
advantage, turning  upon  us  the  full  battery 
of  his  oddities.  Can  it  be  that  Van  Eyck 
was  something  of  a humourist?  More  likely, 
however,  he  took  an  artist’s  keen  delight  in 
overcoming  difficulties.  He  compels  our  ad- 
miration of  this  man,  spite  of  his  ugliness: 
the  puffy  places  under  the  eyes,  the  ill-shaped 


88 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


nose,  the  large  projecting  ears,  the  disagree- 
able mouth.  The  marvellous  fidelity  of  detail, 
the  beautiful  rendering  of  textures,  and  the 
sense  of  vitality  go  to  make  this  a master- 
piece of  realism.  The  “ Man  with  the  Pinks  ” 
is  thirty  years  earlier  than  Mantegna’s  Cardi- 
nal Mezzarata,  which  is  the  first  Italian  full- 
face  portrait  to  compare  with  it.  In  still  an- 
other feat  did  Van  Eyck  forestall  Mantegna 
the  full-length  portrait.  The  double  por- 
trait of  Arnolfini  and  his  Wife,  standing  to- 
gether in  the  vows  of  betrothal,  is  indeed 
practically  two  centuries  ahead  of  time  in 
mastery  of  technique.  The  quaintness  of  the 
costumes  enhances  the  charm  of  this  work: 
the  long,  fur-edged  cape  of  the  lover,  with  the 
huge  broad-brimmed  hat;  the  bride’s  volumi- 
nous train  and  the  white  head-dress  draped 
over  the  horns  of  her  coiffure.  The  solemn 
earnestness  of  the  young  man,  looking  out  of 
the  picture  with  upraised  hand,  the  shyness 
of  the  maiden  looking  down  demurely,  give 
sufficient  dramatic  quality  without  detracting 
from  the  portrait  character.  The  strong  indi- 
viduality of  the  man  makes  us  sure  of  the 


Berlin  Gallery] 


[Yan  Eyck 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  PINKS 


IN  THE  NETHERLANDS  89 


likeness:  the  rather  slanting  eyes,  the  large 
nose,  and  the  unusually  narrow  cleft  chin. 
He  is  more  interesting,  because  more  individ- 
ual, than  his  betrothed,  and  indeed  it  seems 
true  of  Van  Eyck’s  work  in  general,  that  the 
men’s  portraits  are  better  than  women’s. 
One  might  go  farther  and  say  that  ugly  men 
are  better  subjects  than  handsome  men,  and 
that  ugly  old  men  are  still  better  than  ugly 
young  men!  These  preferences  are  not  pecul- 
iar to  Van  Eyck:  they  are  characteristic  of 
th£  Northern  portrait  painters,  both  Flemish 
and  German.  Youth  and  beauty  do  not  offer 
sufficient  scope  for  their  peculiar  gifts.  Their 
chief  aim,  whatever  the  subject,  man  or 
woman,  young  or  old,  is  to  make  the  portrait 
expressive.  Hence  they  used  largely  the 
three-quarters  views,  and  laboured  scrupulously 
to  reproduce  the  individuality.  The  fifteenth- 
century  Flemish  portraits  are,  therefore,  on 
the  whole,  more  sophisticated  than  contempo- 
rary Italian  works. 

The  same  custom  prevailed  in  Northern 
Europe  as  in  Italy,  of  introducing  portrait 
figures  into  religious  compositions,  especially 


90 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


in  the  Adoration  of  the  Kings.  Roger  van 
der  Weyden’s  celebrated  picture  in  Munich 
represents  Duke  Philip  the  Good,  in  the 
guise  of  the  eldest  king,  while  Charles  the 
Bold  impersonates  the  youngest.  The  painter 
does  not  even  try  to  make  the  expression  suit 
the  occasion,  but  in  the  case  of  the  younger 
man,  paints  a thoroughly  characteristic  por- 
trait, full  of  fire  and  passion. 

Roger  van  der  Weyden  was  a pupil  of  Jan 
Van  Eyck,  and  became  in  turn  the  master  of 
Memling,  thus  passing  on  the  influence  of  the 
earlier  master  to  successive  generations.  Hans 
Memling  was  indeed  a painter  of  great  deli- 
cacy, and  marked  sense  of  beauty.  His  heads 
have  more  sweetness  and  less  severity  than 
in  the  work  of  his  predecessors,  while  his 
colours  are  more  luminous  and  transparent. 

Like  all  his  contemporaries,  Memling  had 
a field  for  portrait  painting  in  introducing 
the  figures  of  donors  into  altar-pieces.  This 
fashion  is  carried  to  an  amusing  extreme  in 
the  Madonna  in  the  Louvre,  adored  by  a man 
and  his  wife,  with  nineteen  children!  The 
seven  sons  kneel  behind  their  father,  and  the 


IN  THE  NETHERLANDS  91 


twelve  daughters  behind  their  mother,  and  it 
must  be  confessed  that  the  sons  are  as  much 
alike  as  peas  in  a pod,  and  the  daughters,  as 
the  seeds  of  an  apple.  This  was  portrait 
painting  by  the  wholesale,  a whole  family  at 
reduced  rates,  when  it  could  scarcely  be  ex- 
pected that  the  painter  could  take  pains  to 
individualize.  Willem  Morel  and  his  wife 
occupy  the  wings  of  the  altar-piece  of  St. 
Christopher  in  the  Bruges  Academy,  and 
they,  too,  have  a goodly  family  to  present 
proudly  to  the  saint.  A portrait  bust  of 
Morel  is  in  the  Brussels  Museum,  and  is  pre- 
sumably a study  made  at  the  same  time  as  the 
altar-piece. 

More  celebrated  is  the  portrait  of  Martin 
van  Nieuwenhove,  donor  of  the  Madonna  in 
St.  John’s  Hospital,  Bruges.  His  hands  are 
clasped  above  his  breviary,  and  he  gazes  ab- 
sently before  him  with  the  rapt  expression  of 
a saint.  This  picture  is  a composition  in 
every  sense  of  the  word,  the  background  being 
one  of  the  most  fascinating  examples  of  the 
Flemish  love  of  detail.  Two  casement  win- 
dows of  leaded  glass  fill  the  wall  space,  one 


92 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


having  a charming  bit  of  stained  glass  in  an 
upper  pane.  Through  an  open  lower  sash, 
one  sees  a landscape  with  a bridge  and  tower, 
every  detail  being  exquisitely  rendered.  Such 
accessories  may  not  be  necessary  to  the  art 
of  portraiture,  but  when  they  are  kept  in  true 
subordination,  they  add  a charming  attraction 
peculiar  to  the  Flemings.  Van  Eyck’s  Arnol- 
fini  and  his  Wife  is  an  example  in  point,  the 
interior  of  the  room  being  a miracle  of  skill. 

Some  of  Memling’s  portraits  of  donors 
have  become  separated  from  their  original 
companion  panels,  and  are  now  in  galleries. 
Such  is  the  charming  youth  in  Leipzig,  and 
such,  the  thoughtful  young  man  of  the  Uffizi, 
and  another  example  is  in  the  Hague  Gallery. 
In  all  these  cases,  the  expression  is  very  devout. 
Memling  had  a strong  vein  of  religious  senti- 
ment, and  he  made  his  donors,  willy  nilly,  fill 
reverently  the  part  they  assume.  His  other 
scattered  portraits  show  him  in  a more  objec- 
tive and  realistic  vein.  Anton  von  Burgund 
at  Chantilly  is  characteristic  and  interesting, 
a young  man  in  a tall  hat,  with  pronounced 
individuality.  Niccolo  Spinelli,  in  the  Ant- 


TJffizi  Gallery,  Florence] 

PORTRAIT  OF  AN  UNKNOWN  MAN 


[Memling 


IN  THE  NETHERLANDS  93 


werp  Gallery,  holds  a coin  in  one  hand,  look- 
ing out  gravely,  and  a young  dandy  in 
Cologne  pleases  us  with  his  own  self-satis- 
faction. An  older  man  in  the  Staedel  Insti- 
tute, Frankfort,  seems  of  gentle  and  amiable 
nature.  Mending’s  characterizations  are  not 
vigorous  like  Van  Eyck’s;  his  sense  of  beauty 
apparently  softened  character  as  well  as  fea- 
tures, but  the  conscientious  Flemish  spirit  is 
always  in  evidence,  and  united  with  a gift  of 
idealization,  made  him  an  attractive  and  inter- 
esting portrait  painter. 

There  was  a demand  for  Flemish  painting 
even  in  Italy.  The  agent  of  the  Medici  in 
Bruges,  one  Portinari,  ordered  of  Hugo  van 
der  Goes  an  altar-piece  for  the  hospital  church 
of  S.  Maria  Nuova  at  Florence.  The  wings 
contained  portraits  of  the  man  and  his  wife, 
the  former  with  two  little  boys,  and  the  latter 
with  a little  girl.  The  portraits  have  the 
characteristic  Flemish  quality  of  the  period, 
painted  with  great  care  and  force.  The  odd 
thing  is  the  comparative  scale  of  the  donors 
and  their  patron  saints,  who  tower  above  the 
other  figures  like  giants.  Justus  of  Ghent 


94 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


was  another  Fleming  whose  work  was  carried 
into  Italy,  he  himself  being  summoned  by 
Duke  Federigo  of  Urbino  to  paint  the  por- 
traits of  the  duke  and  duchess. 

As  a rule,  however,  the  Flemish  painters  of 
this  time  had  little  to  do  with  courts  and 
princes.  Their  work  was  usually  done  at 
home,  and  for  that  sturdy  middle  class  which 
built  up  the  commercial  prosperity  of  the 
Netherlands.  Whereas  portrait  painting  in 
Italy  was  the  exclusive  luxury  of  the  aristoc- 
racy, north  of  the  Alps  it  was  the  delight  of 
the  bourgeoisie:  merchants  and  craftsmen, 

men  of  solid  worth  and  industry.  Could  we 
hang  together  all  the  portraits  of  this  school, 
they  would  represent  people  of  about  the 
same  class,  and  of  similar  mental  and  moral 
calibre,  not  brilliant  or  highly  imaginative, 
but  possessed  of  the  stronger  virtues.  The 
men  were  honest  and  industrious,  the  women, 
domestic  and  modest.  This  class  of  people 
did  not  affect  the  study  of  classic  literature 
as  an  amusement,  and  did  not  care  much  for 
mythological  art.  Their  plainer  and  more 
prosaic  tastes  inclined  them  to  the  subjects 


IN  THE  NETHERLANDS  95 


they  could  best  understand,  and  what  could 
they  understand  better,  or  more  greatly  en- 
joy, than  their  own  likenesses?  Thus  the  art 
of  portrait  painting  took  firm  root  on  fertile 
soil. 

Making  the  transition  in  Flemish  art  from 
the  fifteenth  to  the  sixteenth  century,  was 
Quentin  Massys,  who  lived  till  1530.  His  por- 
traits were  not  numerous,  but  we  may  cite  as 
worthy  companions  of  the  pictures  grouped 
here,  his  two  portraits  of  the  Chancellor  Caron- 
delet.  One  of  these  is  in  the  Louvre,  and  the 
other  in  Munich.  The  man  gazes  directly  out 
upon  us,  with  square  open  face,  and  firm  thin 
lips.  He  is  handsome,  in  the  sense  that  he  has 
great  dignity  of  character,  and  strong,  well 
modelled  features.  At  Frankfort  is  a portrait 
of  a man  with  spectacles,  looking  up  from  a 
book  which  rests  on  a ledge  before  him.  It 
is  an  interesting  and  suggestive  face,  though 
the  pose  is  rather  meaningless.  This  brings  us 
to  the  end  of  our  chapter  in  the  beginnings  of 
Flemish  portrait  painting.  A century  later 
the  Flemings  were  again  heard  from  with 
no  uncertain  tone  in  the  progress  of  this  art. 


CHAPTER  VI 


ALBERT  DURER  AS  A PORTRAIT  PAINTER 

CITY  of  steep-roofed  houses, 
adorned  with  gables  and  oriole 
windows,  of  noble  Gothic 
churches,  with  carved  portals  and  fretted 
towers,  of  arched  bridges  spanning  the  river 
which  flows  through  the  center  of  its  busy 
life,  of  sculptured  fountains  standing  in  the 
market-places  — the  whole  encompassed  by 
massive  walls  set  with  towers  and  bastions  of 
every  style,  and  all  the  buildings  climbing, 
roof  upon  roof,  to  tbe  great  fortified  castle 
on  the  heights  — this  was  Nuremberg,  the 
home  of  Albert  Diirer. 

It  was  under  the  Emperor  Maximilian  that 
Nuremberg  enjoyed  the  most  flourishing 
period.  She  then  had  more  land  than  any 
free  town  in  the  empire.  Her  commerce 
brought  her  intercourse  with  East,  West  and 
South.  She  had  been  among  the  first  to  es- 


ALBERT  DURER 


97 


tablish  printing  presses,  and  was  actively 
interested  in  the  revival  of  learning.  Her 
roll  call  of  the  famous  men  of  the  sixteenth 
century  includes  the  mathematician  and  scien- 
tist Johannes  Muller,  the  navigator  Martin 
Behaim,  Anthoni  Ivoberger,  the  “ prince  of 
booksellers,”  Hans  Sachs,  the  poet,  and 
humanists  like  Conrad  Celtes,  Lazarus 
Spengler,  and  Willibald  Pirkheimer.  Nu- 
remberg was  one  of  the  first  towns  to  espouse 
the  cause  of  Martin  Luther,  and  was  bold  in 
matters  of  reform.  Lastly  Nuremberg  was  by 
no  means  behind  in  the  love  of  luxury  which 
fosters  the  arts  and  crafts.  The  houses  of  the 
rich  were  decorated  within  and  without  with 
the  handiwork  of  skilled  artisans.  The 
churches  were  beautified  with  sculptured 
works  by  Adam  Krafft,  Peter  Vischer  and 
Veit  Stoss.  Painting  came  in  likewise  for 
a share  of  patronage.  The  art  impulse  which 
had  hitherto  centered  in  the  Flemish  cities, 
had  now  moved  in  this  direction.  The  paint- 
ers’ workshops  were  busy  places,  with  youth- 
ful apprentices  lending  their  aid  to  fill  the 
masters’  orders. 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


98 

In  such  surroundings  Diirer  was  trained 
for  his  life-work,  and  spent  the  most  of  his 
days.  From  first  to  last,  he  was  a German  of 
the  Germans,  and  a Nuremberger  of  the  Nu- 
rembergers. Like  all  prophets,  he  was  hon- 
oured more  in  other  cities  than  in  his  own 
country,  but  he  was  steadily  loyal  to  his 
native  place.  Though  he  might  complain  of 
her  coldness,  Nuremberg  was  always  his  first 
love.  Our  painter  was  born  in  1471,  and  was 
apprenticed  in  boyhood  to  a goldsmith.  Soon 
he  found  that  he  preferred  painting,  and  at 
the  age  of  fifteen  he  entered  the  service  of 
Michael  Wohlgemut.  We  can  outline  his 
biography  in  a series  of  self-made  portraits. 

First  there  is  the  eager  boy  of  thirteen, 
making  his  first  experiments  alone  in  pencil, 
and  delighted  to  discover  himself.  It  is  won- 
derful how  the  little  amateur  sketch  puts  the 
child  before  11s,  with  his  earnest  face,  and 
sensitive  artist’s  mouth.  What  manner  of 
man  his  father  was,  we  may  see  from  a por- 
trait by  the  young  art  student,  painted 
towards  the  close  of  his  four  years  of  appren- 
ticeship. The  elder  Diirer  is  the  man  of 


ALBERT  DURER 


99 


arduous  toil  and  anxiety,  as  his  son  has  de- 
scribed him  in  a letter.  The  eyes  and  mouth 
are  very  expressive  and  very  sad  — yet  gentle 
withal,  with  the  sweet  patient  spirit  he  trans- 
mitted to  Albert.  The  portrait  is  in  the 
Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence. 

Our  portrait  of  his  mother  is  of  much  later 
date,  a charcoal  drawing  of  1514,  the  year  of 
her  death.  Her  emaciated  face  is  deeply 
furrowed  with  lines  of  thought  and  suffering, 
and  the  countenance  is  marked  by  great 
strength  of  character  and  refinement. 

The  portrait  of  Wohlgemut  shows  the  mas- 
ter under  whose  influence  Diirer’s  youth  was 
passed.  He  is  a man  one  would  like  to  con- 
fide a son  to,  not  because  of  his  great  gifts  — 
he  was  far  from  being  a genius  — but  because 
he  would  inspire  the  respect  and  devotion  of 
his  pupils.  His  eyes  are  keen  and  genial,  as 
of  one  who  never  lost  touch  with  the  interests 
of  youth.  The  portrait  was  painted  in  1516, 
when  the  old  man  was  eighty-two,  and  had 
lived  to  see  his  pupil  far  surpass  him. 

At  the  close  of  his  apprenticeship,  Diirer 
started  on  a Wander jahr  of  four  years.  It 


100 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


was  a period  of  thought  and  observation,  when 
the  impressionable  young  mind  was  storing 
up  material  for  his  life-work.  He  comes 
back,  a bit  of  a dandy  as  to  clothes,  but  with 
face  still  guiltless  of  beard,  as  fresh  and  inno- 
cent as  a maiden’s.  The  portrait  of  1493  is  a 
milestone  of  this  journey.  A small  crimson 
cap,  ornamented  with  a tufted  tassel,  is  set 
jauntily  on  the  long  hair;  the  shirt  is  fanci- 
fully strapped  with  ribbons,  and  he  wears  a 
blue  mantle.  Yet  that  his  soul  is  above  his 
finery  we  doubt  not  from  the  dreamy  expres- 
sion. 

Five  years  pass:  Diirer  has  married,  has 
set  up  a workshop  of  his  own,  and  with  a 
corps  of  apprentices,  has  been  filling  orders 
for  altar-pieces.  He  is  now  a handsome  man 
and  is  well  aware  of  it.  His  long  hair  is  care- 
fully curled,  and  he  wears  a beard.  With 
innocent  vanity  — rather  let  us  say  with  an 
artist’s  sense  of  his  own  good  points  — he 
paints  the  portrait  of  1498  arrayed  in  his  best 

a striped  cap,  a mantle  edged  with  broad 
bands  of  trimming  and  made  with  fancy 
sleeves.  At  about  this  point  his  orders  for 


Munich  Gallery] 


PORTRAIT  OF  OSWALD  KREL 


[Diirer 


ALBERT  DURER 


101 


portraits  begin  to  come  in.  Probably  his  very 
first  was  from  a princely  patron,  the  Elector 
Frederick,  “ the  Wise,”  of  Saxony,  and  others 
were  from  the  Tucher  family  who  were  peo- 
ple of  importance  in  Nuremberg.  Carefully 
drawn,  and  no  doubt  faithful  to  the  originals, 
the  hard  precision  of  these  works  is  as  differ- 
ent as  possible  from  the  insight  and  charm  he 
showed  in  the  subjects  he  cared  for.  Oswald 
Krel  must  have  been  a friend.  At  all  events 
he  was  a most  sympathetic  subject.  He  was 
a young  man  of  about  Diirer’s  own  age, 
wearing  his  hair  like  his,  in  long  curls,  and 
like  him  extremely  thoughtful  and  serious. 
Diirer  painted  his  portrait  with  great  distinc- 
tion and  charm.  The  only  fault,  if  fault  it  be, 
is  that  the  lines  of  reflection  are  so  deep  as  to 
seem  almost  a scowl. 

In  1500  comes  the  most  famous  and  beauti- 
ful of  all  Diirer’s  portraits  of  himself,  if  not 
the  most  famous  of  all  his  subjects.  He  has 
attained  the  full  mastery  of  himself,  and  of 
his  powers.  The  face  looks  directly  out  of 
the  picture,  the  large  calm  eyes  meeting  ours, 
with  an  expression  of  deep  thoughtfulness. 


102 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


The  face  would  seem  too  long  and  narrow 
but  for  the  long  curls  which  frame  it,  arranged 
with  careful  symmetry,  and  falling  to  the 
shoulders.  The  high  noble  brow,  and  the 
faultless  regularity  of  features,  the  grave  gen- 
tleness of  the  mouth  are  not  unworthy  the 
Christ  ideal  which  Diirer  unquestionably  had 
in  mind  in  assuming  the  pose.  The  hand,  too, 
is  beautiful  and  strong,  with  long  slender 
artist’s  fingers.  In  the  Passion  series  of 
woodcuts  designed  some  ten  years  later  we 
distinctly  see  that  Diirer  is  his  own  Christ 
model. 

The  next  group  of  Diirer’s  portraits  was 
during  his  visit  in  Venice  in  1505,  when  he 
astonished  artists  and  connoisseurs  with  the 
minuteness  and  precision  of  his  craftsmanship. 
In  the  prevailing  Venetian  fashion,  he  intro- 
duced portraits  of  real  persons  into  religious 
compositions.  The  Emperor  Maximilian 
kneels  in  the  foreground  of  the  Feast  of  Rose 
Garlands  receiving  a crown  from  the  Ma- 
donna, while  the  Pope  Julius  II  on  the  other 
side  is  similarly  favoured  by  the  Christ-child. 
In  the  rear,  Diirer  and  his  friend  Pirkheimer 


ALBERT  DURER 


103 


are  among  the  bystanders.  Of  independent 
portraits,  the  Young  Man  in  the  Vienna  Gal- 
lery is  of  interest,  as  showing  how  the  Vene- 
tian influence  led  the  painter  into  a softening 
of  the  outlines  of  the  face. 

A pleasant  episode  of  Diirer’s  Venetian 
visit  was  his  friendship  with  the  older  painter 
Giovanni  Bellini.  The  story  is  told  that  the 
Venetian  begged  of  the  German  one  of  the 
brushes  with  which  he  drew  hairs.  Diirer  at 
once  produced  several  ordinary  brushes  like 
those  Bellini  himself  used.  “ No,”  said  the 
other,  “ I mean  the  brushes  with  which  you 
draw  several  hairs  with  one  stroke.”  Where- 
upon, the  painter,  taking  one  of  the  brushes, 
drew  before  the  eyes  of  his  astonished  friend, 
the  long  wavy  tresses  of  a woman.  The  mar- 
vellous delicacy  of  Diirer’ s hair  painting  is 
indeed  without  a parallel.  The  Venetian  Lo- 
renzo Lotto  was  an  imitator  of  his  method, 
but  the  only  painter  with  whom  we  could 
justly  compare  him  is  Leonardo  da  Vinci. 

Returning  to  Nuremberg,  Diirer  took  the 
house  which  still  bears  his  name.  It  was  in 
the  years  now  following  that  he  enjoyed  the 


104 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


patronage  of  the  Emperor  Maximilian.  His 
largest  commission  was  the  series  of  woodcuts 
forming  the  “ Triumphal  Arch.”  There  were 
ninety-three  blocks  devoted  to  the  glorification 
of  the  sovereign,  and  the  subjects  include  por- 
traits of  various  royalties.  Diirer’s  relations 
with  the  emperor  were  of  the  pleasantest, 
and  it  appears  that  the  painter  was  something 
of  a courtier.  One  day  when  the  emperor 
was  trying  to  make  a sketch  to  show  his  idea, 
the  crayon  broke  in  his  fingers,  when  Diirer, 
taking  the  charcoal,  easily  finished  the  draw- 
ing. Maximilian,  annoyed  at  his  own  clumsi- 
ness, asked  how  this  was.  “ I should  not  like 
your  Majesty  to  he  able  to  draw  as  well  as 
I,”  was  the  reply.  “ It  is  my  province  to 
draw,  and  yours  to  rule.”  It  was  in  1518, 
when  the  emperor  was  holding  the  Diet  at 
Augsburg,  that  Diirer,  sent  from  Nuremberg 
as  a commissioner,  obtained  a portrait  sitting 
from  Maximilian.  In  the  Albertina  collec- 
tion, at  Vienna,  we  may  see  the  precious  little 
original  charcoal  sketch,  a few  delicate  lines 
suggesting  with  much  subtlety  the  strong 
characteristics  of  the  face:  the  large  hooked 


ALBERT  DURER 


105 


nose,  the  unbeautiful  mouth,  and  the  long 
oddly  moulded  chin.  The  features  are  some- 
what softened  in  the  finished  portraits,  of 
which  there  are  two,  one  in  oils  in  the  Vienna 
Gallery,  and  one  in  water  colours  in  the  Ger- 
manic Museum  at  Nuremberg.  There  are  be- 
sides two  large  woodcuts  from  the  same  study. 

It  was  also  at  the  Diet  at  Augsburg  that 
Diirer  took  the  portrait  of  Cardinal  Albert  of 
Brandenburg.  From  the  original  charcoal 
sketch  ( now  in  the  Albertina ) , the  artist  made 
a splendid  engraving.  The  face  is  in  profile 
so  that  the  heavy  features  are  somewhat  re- 
fined, and  the  expression  of  the  eyes  is  full  of 
thought.  The  engraved  portraits  by  Diirer 
are  indeed  as  interesting  in  their  own  way  as 
his  painted  works.  Among  the  subjects  is 
the  Elector  Frederick,  greatly  increased  in 
avoirdupois  since  the  portrait  of  twenty-five 
years  before.  Here  again,  however,  Diirer 
succeeded  in  imparting  dignity  to  a difficult 
subject.  In  the  same  way  he  made  his  friend 
Pirkheimer  a noble  and  interesting  head,  in 
spite  of  the  thick  neck  and  double  chin  which 
could  so  easily  seem  gross.  It  is  said  of  Pirk- 


106 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


heimer  that  his  vehement  opinions  and  caustic 
wit  led  him  to  quarrel  with  every  friend  ex- 
cept Diirer.  Melanchthon  is  the  subject  of 
another  engraved  portrait  full  of  interest. 
He  has  a high  brow,  emaciated  cheeks,  the 
peculiar  absent  smile  and  introspective  stare 
of  the  mystic.  Erasmus  was  still  another 
famous  man  whose  portrait  Diirer  engraved, 
reproducing  faithfully  the  scholar’s  fine  face. 

The  death  of  Maximilian  in  1519  was  a 
serious  loss  to  Diirer,  and  it  soon  after  be- 
came expedient  for  him  to  visit  the  Nether- 
lands on  business  connected  with  his  pension. 
All  along  the  way  he  painted  portraits,  and 
still  more  portraits,  and  again  portraits.  At 
the  inns  lie  painted  his  hosts,  to  defray  ex- 
penses; here  and  there  he  caught  some  rich 
patron,  or  some  celebrity;  and,  greatest  pleas- 
ure of  all,  he  honoured  some  fellow  craftsmen 
with  portraits:  Bernard  von  Orley,  Joachim 
Patinir,  Lucas  van  Leyden,  Jakob  of  Lubek. 
Returning  to  Nuremberg,  the  few  remaining 
years  of  his  life  were  not  very  productive,  but 
his  chief  artistic  interest  seems  to  have  been 


Berlin  Gallery] 


PORTRAIT  OF  HIERONYMUS  HOLZSCHUHER 


[Diirer 


ALBERT  DURER 


107 


portrait  painting.  His  last  group  of  paintings 
includes  three  masterpieces  of  portrait  art. 

Of  foremost  importance  is  the  man  in  the 
Prado  gallery,  commonly,  but  without  proof, 
called  Hans  Imhof.  The  rich  fur  collar  fur- 
nishes a splendid  decorative  element  suggest- 
ing a Venetian  work.  The  man  himself,  with 
the  strong  concentrated  gaze  of  a close 
thinker,  is  delineated  to  the  very  life.  In  pre- 
cisely the  same  compositional  style  is  the  fine 
portrait  at  Fenway  Court,  but  here  the  man 
is  younger  and  less  interesting  in  character. 
Jacob  Muff  el,  Councillor  of  Nuremberg,  is 
another  of  the  famous  trio  referred  to.  He  is 
a fine  old  man,  with  smooth  face,  and  thin 
sharp  features,  and  the  eyes  of  a dreamer. 
He,  too,  wears  a fur  collar  which  Durer  could 
so  cunningly  paint.  Lastly  the  famous 
Hieronymus  Holschuher,  also  in  fur  collar, 
brings  to  a climax  the  master’s  characteristic 
method.  The  picture  is  painted  with  a realism 
so  painstaking  that  it  is  almost  painful,  be- 
cause it  shows  too  plainly  the  labour  it  cost. 
Every  hair  seems  to  have  been  painted  sepa- 
rately, every  line  studied  with  intense  and  ab- 


108 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


sorbing  interest.  With  all  this  attention  to 
detail,  Diirer  did  not  fail  to  give  life  to  his 
subject.  Holschuher’s  individuality  is  so 
strikingly  preserved,  that  he  may  well  be 
called  the  best  known  Nuremberger  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  only  Diirer  himself  ex- 
cepted. 

Diirer  was  not  preeminently  a portrait 
painter,  his  highest  claim  to  immortality  be- 
ing his  engravings.  Yet  his  contribution  to 
the  art  is  not  only  considerable  in  quantity,  but 
remarkable  in  quality.  His  work  is  intensely 
serious  and  expressive,  thoroughly  representa- 
tive of  the  German  spirit.  He  never  got  very 
far  away  from  Nuremberg.  As  her  castle 
towers  in  the  background  of  his  pictures,  so 
her  influence  dominated  the  character  of  his 
work.  Painstaking  and  conscientious  in 
minute  detail,  lie  had  besides  the  higher  gifts 
of  the  portrait  painter,  vigour  and  vitality. 
His  qualities  were  best  adapted  to  the  por- 
trayal of  men.  There  are  not  a half  dozen 
women  in  his  entire  list  of  sitters.  Ap- 
parently portraits  of  women  and  children 
wrere  not  much  in  fashion  in  his  world. 


ALBERT  DURER 


109 


Though  Diirer  was  no  flatterer,  he  yet  un- 
derstood the  art  of  making  the  most  of  a con- 
genial subject.  Best  of  all,  he  was  a genuine 
psychologist,  in  the  true  meaning  of  that 
overworked  term.  He  chose  by  preference 
the  thoughtful  mood,  and  discerned  with  much 
insight  the  special  calibre  of  the  thinker.  The 
strong  vein  of  mysticism  which  is  so  promi- 
nent in  his  allegorical  engravings  is  now  and 
then  apparent  in  his  character  interpretation. 
Homeliness  is  of  course  the  invariable  note, 
characteristic  alike  of  the  German  national- 
ity and  the  man  Albert  Diirer. 


CHAPTER  VII 


THE  PORTRAITS  OF  HOLBEIN 


'^HE  celebrated  Hans  Holbein  was 
born  in  1497  in  Augsburg,  and  came 


to  Basle  while  still  in  his  teens,  seek- 
ing employment  as  an  illustrator.  He  had  re- 
ceived his  training  from  his  father,  who  was 
a painter  of  some  worth.  One  of  the  youth’s 
first  patrons  in  Basle  was  the  great  Erasmus, 
for  whom  he  designed  some  pen  and  ink 
sketches  for  the  author’s  private  copy  of  the 
“ Praise  of  Folly.”  The  learned  Dutchman 
was  then  in  middle  life,  and  had  just  taken 
up  his  residence  in  the  German  city,  after 
journeying  all  over  Europe.  He  had  spent 
some  years  in  Paris,  he  had  visited  Venice  and 
Turin,  and  in  Rome  he  had  declined  flattering 
proposals  from  Pope  Julius  II.  Twice  he 
had  been  in  England,  the  second  time  as  the 
guest  of  Sir  Thomas  More,  in  whose  house  he 

no 


PORTRAITS  OF  HOLBEIN  111 


wrote  the  “ Praise  of  Folly.”  He  now  in- 
terested himself  in  the  young  artist,  and  the 
two  men  became  warm  friends.  Holbein 
entered  heartily  into  his  author’s  meaning, 
and  often  showed  a keen  sense  of  humour  in 
illustrating  his  text.  At  one  place  where 
Erasmus  mentions  his  own  name,  the  illustra- 
tor sketched  a portrait  in  the  margin,  labelled 
“ Erasmus.”  The  author,  highly  tickled  by 
the  flattered  likeness,  exclaimed,  “ Oh,  if 
Erasmus  looked  like  this,  he  might  yet  truly 
take  a wife.”  It  was  not  till  nearly  ten  years 
later,  however,  that  Holbein  made  any  am- 
bitious portrait  of  the  scholar. 

In  the  meantime  work  of  all  sorts  came  to 
the  painter’s  hand,  and  he  seemed  as  ready 
for  one  thing  as  another.  He  was  not  quite 
twenty  when  he  had  an  order  from  the  newly 
elected  burgomaster,  Jacob  Meyer,  for  por- 
traits of  himself  and  wife.  Holbein  pro- 
ceeded like  a trained  expert,  making  first  a 
preliminary  sketch  of  each  sitter,  and  then 
producing  the  finished  oil  portrait.  The 
sketches,  still  preserved,  are  masterly  works  of 
art.  There  is  nothing  weak  or  tentative  in  the 


112 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


line  — character  and  expression  are  fully  in- 
dicated — it  remained  only  to  reproduce  the 
head  in  colour.  Thus,  at  the  outset,  Holbein 
showed  that  he  had  in  him  the  making  of  a 
master  draughtsman,  and  a portrait  painter 
of  the  first  rank. 

It  was  five  years  later  when  he  again  made 
studies  of  the  same  heads,  to  use  in  the  Meyer 
Madonna  which  the  burgomaster  had  now 
ordered.  There  is  again  the  same  delicacy  of 
touch,  and  the  same  care  in  studying  the  ex- 
pression. Meyer  is  posed  in  an  attitude  of 
devotion,  raising  his  eyes  to  the  Virgin.  It 
is  marvellous  how  the  painter,  while  adher- 
ing faithfully  to  the  likeness,  gives  nobility 
and  dignity  to  the  plebeian  countenance. 

It  was  in  1519,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two, 
that  Holbein  was  admitted  to  the  Painter’s 
Guild,  of  Basle,  and  the  date  was  signalized 
by  one  of  his  best  known  and  best  loved  por- 
traits. Boniface  Amerbach  was  the  son  of 
a publisher,  a man  of  parts  and  learning.  He 
was  possessed  of  great  personal  charm  and 
beauty.  He  was  a discriminating  connoisseur, 
and  an  enthusiastic  admirer  of  Holbein’s  art. 


PORTRAITS  OF  HOLBEIN  113 


A more  poetic  and  picturesque  subject  could 
scarcely  be  found,  and  Holbein  did  the  sitter 
justice.  The  beautiful  sensitive  face,  with  the 
short  wavy  beard,  is  turned  almost  in  profile, 
the  hair  clustering  about  the  ears,  the  forehead 
shaded  by  a large  soft  cap.  On  the  trunk  of 
a tree,  at  one  side,  hangs  a sort  of  signboard, 
with  a laudatory  inscription,  the  date,  and 
the  names  of  painter  and  sitter.  All  this  com- 
poses admirably  with  the  rest  of  the  picture, 
and  makes  the  scheme  extremely  decorative. 
The  decorative  portrait  was  indeed  a specialty 
of  Holbein’s,  and  whenever  he  could  use  let- 
tering effectively,  he  was  sure  to  put  it  in.  In 
this  case  the  inscription  links  pleasantly  the 
painter  and  the  man  who  in  after  years  did 
so  much  to  collect  and  preserve  his  works. 

In  the  meantime  Holbein’s  friendship  with 
Erasmus  bore  fruit  in  a group  of  extraordi- 
nary portraits.  The  first  in  order  was  per- 
haps the  little  round  woodcut  drawn  for  the 
publisher  Froben  in  1523,  showing  us  the 
keen  inquisitive  face  in  all  the  sharpness  of 
profile,  and  without  the  more  mellow  quali- 
ties. These,  however,  were  well  presented  in 


114 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


the  painted  portraits,  of  which  at  least  three 
followed  soon  after.  The  best  known  of  these 
is  the  picture  of  the  Louvre.  The  scholar  is 
at  his  desk,  writing,  the  face  in  profile,  the 
eyes  fixed  on  his  book.  The  cap  is  pulled  far 
down  over  his  forehead,  and  conceals  all  his 
hair  but  one  stray  white  lock  on  the  cheek. 
We  see  but  little  of  his  face,  and  yet  we  see 
the  whole  man,  — the  scholar  and  the  man  of 
the  world,  seeing  and  hating  shams,  yet  with- 
out the  boldness  of  a reformer,  claimed  by 
Catholics  and  Protestants  alike,  gentle  and 
amiable,  appreciative  of  worth,  with  a keen 
sense  of  humour,  often  verging  on  the  satir- 
ical, and  sometimes  even  coarse.  A dark 
green  flower-spangled  curtain  hung  as  a back- 
ground is  a part  of  an  exceedingly  decorative 
ensemble.  The  motive  of  representing  the 
sitter  in  character,  so  to  speak,  came  to  be  a 
very  common  one  with  Holbein.  It  was  some- 
what new  for  this  period,  and  anticipated  the 
seventeenth-century  Dutchmen. 

Another  interesting  portrait  of  Erasmus  is 
the  woodcut  design  which  Holbein  made  for 
the  title  page  of  the  author’s  published  works. 


i^ouvre,  Paris] 


PORTRAIT  OF  ERASMUS 


[Holbein 


PORTRAITS  OF  HOLBEIN  115 


It  is  a full-length  figure  in  ornamental  frame. 
The  scholar  is  now  a much  older  man,  and 
the  face  shows  that  he  has  grown  disappointed 
and  weary  of  life.  It  was  in  fact  at  about  this 
time  that  the  fanatic  zeal  of  religious  reform- 
ers reached  such  a pitch  in  Basle,  that  Eras- 
mus and  Amerbach  retired  in  disgust  to  Frei- 
burg. The  attitude  of  Erasmus  towards  the 
Reformation  may  be  gathered  from  one  of  his 
letters:  “ I wish  some  god  would  interfere  to 
bring  to  a sudden  and  happy  termination 
this  drama  which  Luther  has  so  inauspiciously 
commenced.  Discord  is  so  hateful  to  me,  that 
truth  itself  would  displease  me,  if  coupled 
with  sedition ; and  though  there  are  many 
practices  in  the  church  which  could  be  re- 
moved with  great  advantage  to  the  Christian 
religion,  yet  no  change  will  have  my  approba- 
tion which  is  conducted  with  tumult.”  Hol- 
bein must  have  followed  his  two  friends  to 
Freiburg  for  we  have  still  another  portrait 
of  Erasmus  in  the  Parma  gallery.  There  are 
several  copies  of  this  head,  including  the  min- 
iature in  the  Basle  Museum. 

To  go  back  now  three  years,  the  friendship 


116 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


of  Erasmus  was  the  occasion  of  Holbein’s  first 
visit  to  England  in  1526.  Carrying  an  intro- 
duction from  the  scholar  to  Sir  Thomas  More, 
he  was  hospitably  received  and  entertained  by 
the  distinguished  prelate.  “ Thy  painter, 
dearest  Erasmus,  is  a wonderful  artist,”  wrote 
back  More  to  his  friend  in  Basle.  Holbein 
now  undertook  for  his  new  patron  a splendid 
family  group  of  ten  figures.  What  has  be- 
come of  this  work  we  cannot  conjecture,  but 
we  know  from  the  preparatory  drawing  what 
the  plan  was.  Holbein  it  is  said  took  this 
sketch  to  Basle,  to  show  to  Erasmus,  who  was 
delighted  with  it.  Fortunately  we  have  still 
the  chalk  drawings  of  Sir  Thomas,  and  his 
father  Sir  John.  Of  the  former  Horace  Wal- 
pole wrote  “I  do  not  know  a single  counte- 
nance in  which  any  master  lias  poured  greater 
energy  of  expression  than  in  the  drawing  of 
Sir  Thomas  More.  It  has  a freedom,  a bold- 
ness of  thought,  and  an  acuteness  of  penetra- 
tion that  attest  the  sincerity  of  the  resem- 
blance.” 

Other  portraits  of  Holbein’s  first  English 
visit  were  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  the 


PORTRAITS  OF  HOLBEIN  117 


Bishop  of  Rochester,  and  the  Bishop  of  Lon- 
don. Sir  Henry  Guilford,  the  king’s  Master 
of  the  Horse,  and  Nicholas  Kratzer,  the  royal 
astronomer,  were  also  in  the  list.  For  these, 
as  was  his  custom,  he  made  preparatory 
drawings,  which  vie  with  the  finished  portraits 
in  interest,  so  strong  and  subtle  is  the  art 
which  in  a few  lines  can  set  before  us  the  man 
himself.  A valuable  collection  of  these 
sketches  is  to  be  seen  at  Windsor,  having 
come  thither  after  changing  hands  several 
times.  Among  the  striking  personalities  rep- 
resented in  the  number  is  the  venerable  Will- 
iam Warham,  of  Canterbury,  a trifle  life- 
weary,  but  still  calm,  phlegmatic,  impregna- 
ble, while  the  aged  Bishop  of  Rochester  is 
more  sensitive,  more  intense  and  more  troub- 
led, just  the  stuff  which  martyrs  are  made  of. 
It  is  evident  at  a glance  that  these  are  Eng- 
lishmen. Holbein  did  not  look  at  his  subjects 
through  German  glasses;  he  was  a universal 
genius,  and  painted  life  as  it  was,  English  or 
German.  You  pick  out  at  once  the  astrono- 
mer Kratzer  as  an  alien  in  the  company:  he 
is  thoroughly  German.  This  is  a portrait  “ in 


118 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


character,”  such  as  has  been  mentioned.  The 
astronomer  is  seated  at  a table  strewn  with 
instruments  and  holds  one  in  his  hand.  On 
the  wall  behind  him  hang  other  implements 
of  his  profession,  all  adding  to  a picturesque 
and  effective  composition. 

Holbein’s  English  visit  lasted  two  years, 
but  upon  his  return  to  Rasle  he  found  the  pro- 
fessional outlook  quite  hopeless.  An  order 
for  the  decoration  of  the  Council  Hall  occu- 
pied him  for  a time,  but  the  Reformation 
seemed  to  have  paralyzed  the  popular  interest 
in  art.  There  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  re- 
turn to  England,  but  before  going  the  painter 
made  a portrait  of  his  wife  and  two  children. 
This  is  the  picture  in  the  Rasle  Museum  so 
well  known  through  reproduction.  The  sim- 
plicity and  beauty  of  the  grouping  reminds 
one  of  Raphael’s  Madonna  groups,  so  natural, 
so  apparently  unstudied,  yet  so  consummately 
artistic.  The  fair-haired  boy  at  his  mother’s 
knee  gazes  upward  at  his  baby  sister  with  the 
ardour  of  a child  Baptist  adoring  the  infant 
Christ.  The  matron  Elsbeth,  with  her  well 
moulded  features,  and  ample  bosom,  would 


PORTRAITS  OF  HOLBEIN  119 


be  a fine-looking  woman  but  for  her  weak 
eyes,  which  give  a tired,  almost  cross  expres- 
sion to  the  face.  In  flow  of  line,  harmony  of 
colour,  and  perfect  lifelikeness,  the  group  is 
one  of  the  painter’s  greatest  successes. 

Holbein’s  first  work  in  England  was  among 
his  own  people.  There  was  a company  of 
German  merchants  in  London  making  a 
little  colony  in  the  Steelyard,  with  a guild 
hall,  a garden  and  a wineshop.  From  this 
quarter  came  one  after  another  a series  of 
portrait  orders,  making  a most  interesting 
group  of  pictures.  Many  of  these  are  in  busi- 
ness character,  showing  the  merchant  seated 
at  his  table  busy  with  papers.  Most  elaborate 
of  all  such  is  the  George  Gisze  of  the  Berlin 
gallery.  The  detail  work  would  satisfy  the 
most  realistic  fifteenth-century  Fleming  or 
seventeenth-century  Hollander.  The  table  is 
covered  with  a rich  oriental  rug  and  orna- 
mented with  an  exquisite  crystal  vase  of  pinks. 
All  sorts  of  fascinating  writing  implements 
are  strewn  about,  and  are  attached  to  the 
walls  and  shelves  behind.  These  accessories 
are  admirably  subordinated  to  the  merchant 


120 


PORTRAIT  .PAINTING 


himself,  who  makes  a charming  and  pictur- 
esque figure  in  the  midst.  Nevertheless  the 
man  is  neither  interesting  nor  clever.  Dirk 
Tybis,  of  the  Vienna  gallery,  who  looks  us 
squarely  in  the  face,  and  takes  himself  so  seri- 
ously, is  rather  more  likable;  and  the  bearded 
and  gentlemanly  merchant  of  the  Windsor 
Castle  collection  is  of  quite  a romantic  type. 

In  the  course  of  a few  years,  by  precisely 
what  steps  we  do  not  know,  Holbein  obtained 
the  appointment  as  court  painter  to  the  King 
Ilenry  VIII,  holding  the  position  till  his 
death  in  1543.  Ilis  duties  were  as  multifari- 
ous as  were  those  of  court  painters  in  Italy. 
He  might  have  to  design  a drinking  cup,  a 
sword  hilt,  or  a gateway,  or  even  go  abroad 
on  a royal  errand.  More  than  all  else  he 
painted  portraits,  and  by  the  magic  of  his 
pencil  and  brush  we  are  introduced  to  the 
royal  entourage  of  these  years : The  bluff 

king  himself,  square  faced,  choleric,  self 
willed,  resplendent  in  finery;  Jane  Seymour, 
the  inoffensive  queen  who  was  allowed  a 
natural  death;  Christina  of  Denmark,  the  un- 
successful candidate  for  the  succession:  Anne 


PORTRAITS  OF  HOLBEIN  121 


of  Cleves,  the  unfortunate  German  princess 
who  was  made  queen  only  to  be  divorced;  the 
chubby  little  Edward,  Prince  of  Wales;  John 
Chambers,  court  physician,  at  the  venerable 
age  of  eighty-eight ; Hubert  Morett,  the 
king’s  goldsmith,  scarcely  less  regal  than  his 
master  in  bearing  and  attire;  Robert  Chese- 
man,  the  king’s  falconer,  carrying  a splendid 
hawk  on  his  wrist;  Thomas  Howard,  Duke 
of  Norfolk,  the  king’s  chamberlain,  bearing 
the  mace  of  his  office,  and  many  other  ladies 
and  gentlemen  of  high  degree.  One  of  the 
most  interesting  pictures  of  this  period  is  the 
double  portrait  called  the  Ambassadors,  in  the 
National  Gallery.  Beautiful  accessories  and 
rich  costume  give  splendid  decorative  quality 
to  the  composition,  but  do  not  overshadow  the 
personal  appeal  of  the  men  themselves. 

Strangely  enough,  Holbein’s  portrait  of 
King  Henry  is  lost  to  us.  It  was  a monu- 
mental work  in  fresco,  in  the  palace  of  White- 
hall, showing  the  monarch  with  his  family. 
The  palace  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  the  fol- 
lowing century,  but  fortunately  Holbein’s 
cartoon  is  preserved,  as  well  as  various  copies 


122 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


by  other  artists  of  the  king’s  figure.  Thus  the 
personality  of  Henry  VIII  has  come  down  to 
us  from  the  hand  of  Holbein.  The  portrait 
of  Jane  Seymour  is  in  Vienna  and  is  unsur- 
passed for  delicate  colour  and  decorative 
splendour.  The  lady,  we  can  see,  has  the 
serenity  of  temper  which  stood  her  in  good 
stead  with  her  royal  husband.  It  fell  to  Hol- 
bein in  no  small  degree  to  choose  the  next 
queen.  He  was  despatched  to  Brussels  for 
the  Princess  Christina’s  portrait,  and  was 
granted  a three  hours’  sitting  — three  hours  in 
which  to  penetrate  and  perpetuate  a person- 
ality. Certainly  he  never  did  a subtler  or 
more  charming  picture  than  this  full-length 
figure  of  the  vivacious  little  Italian  widow, 
caught  just  as  she  entered  the  room,  in  her 
widow’s  weeds.  It  is  said  that  the  king  was 
so  charmed  with  the  picture  that  he  promptly 
sent  a proposal  of  marriage,  but  complica- 
tions with  Christina’s  uncle,  Charles  V,  broke 
off  the  match.  Holbein  was  again  sent  abroad 
for  the  portrait  of  Anne  of  Cleves,  and  this 
time  he  resorted  to  all  the  devices  of  good 
clothes  to  add  to  the  charm  of  the  subject. 


Louvre,  Paris] 


PORTRAIT  OF  ANNE  OF  CLEVES 


[Holbeiu 


PORTRAITS  OF  HOLBEIN  123 


Perhaps  he  overshot  the  mark.  The  lady’s 
doll-like  prettiness  pleased  the  king  mightily, 
but  the  pleasure  was  of  short  duration.  The 
lady  proved  herself  less  agreeable  than  her 
portrait  promised,  but  there  seems  to  have 
been  no  blame  for  Holbein. 

Few  particulars  are  known  of  the  English 
life  of  “ Master  Haunce,”  as  the  painter  was 
called  at  court.  They  were  perilous  times  for 
royal  favourites,  and  the  painter  did  well  to 
steer  his  way  safely  in  the  fickle  current  of 
King  Henry’s  pleasure.  Changes  were  on 
every  hand.  Sir  Thomas  More,  once  the  be- 
loved and  intimate  friend  of  the  king,  was 
sent  with  the  Bishop  of  Rochester,  and  other 
saintly  men,  to  the  executioner’s  block.  Hol- 
bein could  hardly  have  been  insensible  to  the 
tragic  fate  of  his  former  patron,  but  in  that 
same  year  his  own  salary  was  doubled.  It  is 
said  that  when  some  courtier  who  had  a quar- 
rel with  the  painter  brought  complaint  to  the 
king,  Henry  replied,  “ I tell  you,  of  seven 
peasants  I can  make  as  many  lords,  but  not 
one  Holbein.”  In  spite  of  many  preferments, 
however,  Holbein  longed  for  his  native  land, 


124 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


and  was  planning  to  return  to  Basle.  Before 
such  hopes  were  realized,  a plague  broke  out 
in  London,  in  1543,  and  to  this  dread  disease 
he  fell  a victim. 

Holbein  brought  the  art  of  portrait  paint- 
ing a long  way  forward.  His  temper  was 
purely  dispassionate;  he  delineated  the  face 
before  him  with  exact  precision,  neither  add- 
ing to  nor  taking  from  the  original  in  any 
measure.  Sincerity  was  his  strongest  trait: 
he  anticipated  Velasquez  in  absolute  truthful- 
ness to  life  and  character.  A consummate 
draughtsman,  his  paintings  show  a better 
quality  of  line  than  of  colour.  A certain 
hardness  characterizes  him  as  a German  rather 
than  an  Italian.  A fine  decorative  sense 
shaped  his  compositions  and  produced  some 
delightful  effects.  His  love  of  detail  and 
delicate  craftsmanship  served  such  ends  admi- 
rably. His  work  is  in  striking  contrast  to  that 
of  Diirer,  who  was  as  subjective  as  Holbein 
was  objective.  The  two  supplement  each 
other  in  representing  the  most  valuable  phases 
of  the  German  art  spirit  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


RUBENS  AS  A PORTRAIT  PAINTER 

BUR  next  chapter  in  the  history  of 
portrait  painting  opens  some  sixty- 
five  years  after  Holbein’s  death,  in 
the  Flemish  city  of  Antwerp.  The  Nether- 
lands were  just  entering  upon  a period  of 
respite  from  their  long  struggle  with  Spain. 
The  signing  of  the  truce  of  1609  was  the  sig- 
nal of  a general  revival  of  prosperity.  Sus- 
pended commercial  activities  were  resumed 
and  industries  again  flourished.  In  Flanders 
and  Brabant  the  industries  were  closely  allied 
with  the  fine  arts,  and  consisted  largely  in  the 
making  of  beautiful  things.  Here  were 
woven  rich  tapestries  for  the  hangings  of  hall 
and  palace.  Here  were  produced  fabrics  of  silk 
and  velvet  and  linen  fit  for  kings’  apparel. 
The  Flemish  lace  was  unrivalled  throughout 
the  world  in  delicacy  of  workmanship. 

125 


126 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


In  all  these  industrial  pursuits  Antwerp 
had  once  held  a proud  place  of  honour.  She 
was  besides  one  of  the  foremost  trading  cen- 
tres of  the  world.  In  her  position  at  the  head 
of  the  Scheldt  she  had  intercourse  with  all  the 
great  cities  of  Europe.  Her  quays  were  lined 
with  ships  bringing  and  carrying  commercial 
products.  The  long  war  with  Spain  had 
changed  all  this.  Business  had  for  awhile 
been  completely  paralyzed,  and  it  was  re- 
sumed too  late  to  recover  the  lost  prestige. 
The  tide  of  commerce  had  swept  northward 
to  Holland,  and,  as  we  shall  see  in  later  chap- 
ters, bore  with  it  a new  art  impulse.  Yet 
even  in  this  day  of  decline,  Antwerp  was  still 
a glorious  city.  There  were  yet  commercial 
interests  sufficient  to  give  healthy  activity  to 
her  people.  Streets  and  quays  were  still 
pulsing  with  commercial  life,  and  a spirit  of 
tranquillity  settled  upon  the  city.  Now  was 
the  time  ripe  for  the  revival  of  the  art  of  paint- 
ing which  had  fallen  upon  evil  days  unworthy 
of  its  glorious  beginnings  in  the  fifteenth 
century  under  the  Van  Eyck  brothers.  The 
bane  of  the  sixteenth-century  art  had  been  the 


RUBENS 


127 


artificial  imitation  of  Italian  painters.  The 
saving  quality  had  been  the  strength  of  its 
portrait  work,  and  even  in  those  bad  times 
there  were  some  worthy  forerunners  of  the 
seventeenth  - century  glory  — Sir  Anthony 
Moro,1  and  Mark  Gerard,  so  favourably 
known  at  the  English  court. 

It  was  in  1608  when  the  young  painter 
Rubens  arrived  in  Antwerp  after  some  years 
residence  in  Italy.  He  brought  back  an  im- 
mense enthusiasm  for  the  Italian  masters, 
from  Raphael  to  Baroccio,  with  special  devo- 
tion to  Titian.  He  had,  however,  never  for- 
gotten his  youthful  training  in  the  Antwerp 
studios  of  Adam  van  Noort,  and  Otto  van 
Veen.  His  hand  was  now  well  practised  in 
cunning.  Already  he  had  won  high  praise 
beyond  the  Alps,  and  he  met  instant  recog- 
nition among  his  countrymen.  Among  the 
group  of  painters  then  living  in  Antwerp,  ad- 
mirable as  was  their  work,  he  was  easily 
supreme.  Two  years  later  he  was  appointed 
court  painter  to  the  Archdukes  Albert  and 
Isabella.  From  this  time,  till  his  death  in 

1 See  page  253. 


128 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


1640,  he  made  his  home  in  Antwerp,  though 
taking  several  important  journeys  abroad. 

The  influence  of  the  Spanish  regent  was  in 
every  way  favourable  towards  creating  an  art 
atmosphere.  Isabella  Clara  Eugenia  was  the 
daughter  of  Philip  II  of  Spain,  who,  like  his 
father,  had  been  an  ardent  admirer  of  Titian. 
She  had  been  brought  up  to  consider  painting 
a natural  adjunct  of  court  life.  Though  her 
father  called  her  “ the  light  of  his  eyes,”  he 
appeared  to  regard  her  solely  as  the  means  of 
furthering  his  political  ambitions.  Having 
failed  to  raise  her  to  the  throne  of  France,  he 
conceived  the  idea  that  she  might  win  for  him 
the  Low  Countries  which  he  found  so  diffi- 
cult to  subjugate.  Accordingly  he  married 
her  to  her  cousin,  Albert  of  Austria,  who  was 
already  in  the  Netherlands,  that  the  two 
might  be  joint  rulers.  In  1599  the  royal 
pair  entered  Brussels.  During  the  first  few 
years  of  their  government  the  war  still  went 
on,  hut  when  the  peace  of  1609  was  arranged, 
Albert  and  Isabella  began  to  devote  them- 
selves to  the  welfare  of  their  subjects.  Their 
tact  and  consideration  won  universal  regard, 


RUBENS 


129 


and  Isabella  became  really  popular.  In  the 
public  fetes  which  the  Flemings  were  so  fond 
of  celebrating,  the  two  regents  took  an  active 
part.  They  did  much  towards  restoring  the 
plundered  and  desecrated  churches  of  the 
country,  filling  them  with  works  of  art.  For 
the  palace,  too,  where  the  court  was  con- 
ducted with  great  magnificence,  paintings 
were  liberally  ordered. 

Under  such  fortunate  auspices  Rubens 
passed  his  brilliant  and  successful  life.  He 
was  a man  of  extraordinary  industry,  order- 
ing his  pursuits  with  systematic  regularity. 
As  commissions  multiplied  upon  him,  he  em- 
ployed many  assistants,  having  a great  paint- 
ing establishment  in  the  Italian  manner. 
Increasing  prosperity  enabled  him  to  live 
according  to  his  tastes.  Gifted  with  great 
charm  of  manner,  as  well  as  with  excellent 
counsel,  he  made  himself  acceptable  and  use- 
ful in  the  highest  circles.  Associating  with 
crowned  heads,  princes,  diplomats  and  schol- 
ars, he  was  himself  artist,  diplomat  and 
courtier  by  turns. 

His  enormous  productivity  lay  in  so  many 


130 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


directions  that  quite  diverse  opinions  prevail 
in  regard  to  him.  A superficial  traveller 
making  the  grand  tour,  remembers  him  only 
by  the  huge  canvases  of  the  Louvre,  and  sets 
him  down  as  coarse  and  vulgar.  The  so- 
journer in  Antwerp  sees  him  as  the  idol  of  the 
Flemings,  and  the  painter  of  noble  altar- 
pieces.  The  painter  envies  him  for  technical 
qualities  to  which  every  craftsman  aspires: 
for  an  unerring  sense  of  composition,  for 
splendour  of  colour,  for  sureness  of  touch 
and  bravura  of  execution,  and  for  the  exu- 
berance and  spontaneity  of  his  creative  im- 
agination. His  chief  forte  lay  in  dramatic 
composition,  religious,  historical  or  allegorical. 
He  was  happiest  when  filling  some  great  can- 
vas with  life  and  colour  and  action.  Portraits 
were  incidents,  or  accidents,  in  his  career,  as 
in  that  of  Raphael,  painted  now  and  then  to 
please  some  friend  or  patron,  or  to  gratify  his 
own  family  affections.  Overshadowed  by  the 
vast  bulk  of  his  subject  painting,  they  have 
not  received  the  notice  they  deserve.  Though 
Rubens  does  not  stand  out  like  his  famous 
pupil  Van  Dyck,  as  one  of  the  great  original 


RUBENS 


131 


portrait  masters,  he  made  a valuable  contribu- 
tion to  the  art.  There  is  wide  variety  in  his 
portrait  methods.  Sometimes  he  imparts  a 
distinction  and  dignity  to  the  sitter  worthy  of 
the  great  Venetians,  but  again,  if  they  do  not 
arouse  his  enthusiasm,  he  makes  them  quite 
commonplace.  Sometimes  they  are  very 
grave  and  serious,  and  sometimes  they  are 
extremely  animated.  Always  they  are  thor- 
oughly alive.  “ Does  this  man  mix  blood  with 
his  paint?  ” exclaimed  Guido  Reni.  Too  fully 
possessed  with  the  creative  spirit  to  keep 
closely  to  the  likeness,  he  could  yet  at  times 
lose  himself  wonderfully  in  his  subject. 

It  naturally  fell  to  Rubens  on  one  occasion 
and  another  to  paint  portraits  of  the  arch- 
dukes, and  some  of  these  were  not  successful. 
We  are  greatly  disappointed  in  the  common- 
place and  uninteresting  persons  to  whom  the 
painter  introduces  us  in  the  companion  pic- 
tures of  the  Prado.  It  may  have  been  true 
that  Albert  was  only  a plain  conscientious 
man,  and  Isabella  an  opinionated  bourgeoise, 
but  we  demand  something  more  of  them. 
Nor  does  Rubens  fail  to  answer  this  demand. 


132 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Some  years  after  the  archduke’s  death  he 
painted  for  the  widowed  Isabella  a splendid 
memorial  for  her  husband  in  the  altar-piece 
of  St.  Ildefonso.  Here  he  fully  realized  his 
opportunity  to  immortalize  his  patrons  in 
the  pair  of  portraits  forming  the  wings  of  the 
composition.  Rubens  was  carried  out  of  him- 
self in  the  noble  inspiration  of  this  work.  In 
the  central  panel  the  Virgin  bestows  a chas- 
uble upon  the  kneeling  saint,  while  Albert 
and  Isabella  kneel  on  either  side  attended  by 
their  patron  saints.  The  sweeping  lines  of 
their  regal  garments  fall  in  harmony  with  the 
arrangement  of  the  central  group,  making  a 
splendid  decorative  ensemble.  There  is  some- 
thing of  true  majesty  in  their  bearing,  there  is 
nobility  and  refinement  in  the  faces,  and  above 
all  there  is  an  expression  of  exaltation  which 
is  in  every  way  satisfying. 

Of  Rubens’  relations  with  Marie  de’  Medici, 
Queen  of  France,  a single  portrait  bears  in- 
teresting record  (in  the  Prado,  Madrid). 
For  this  queen  the  painter  made,  as  everybody 
knows,  the  famous  historical  series  for  the 
decoration  of  the  Luxembourg  Palace.  It 


RUBENS 


133 


was  probably  for  a study  of  the  queen’s  figure 
in  these  works,  that  the  portrait  was  made. 
For  this  reason  perhaps  the  picture  is  entirely 
free  from  any  pretentious  posing.  It  was  the 
best  of  the  many-sided  woman  which  Rubens 
saw.  She  was  charmed  with  the  courtly  man- 
ners of  her  painter  and  especially  with  his  de- 
lightful conversation.  Day  by  day  as  he 
superintended  the  placing  of  the  pictures  in 
the  gallery,  she  was  present  enjoying  the 
progress  of  the  work.  So  he  painted  her  as 
he  knew  her,  amiable  and  complaisant,  not 
burdened  with  her  dignities,  but  altogether 
friendly  and  agreeable. 

It  was  in  connection  with  the  commission 
for  Marie  de’  Medici  that  Rubens  painted  the 
portrait  of  Baron  le  Vicq,  as  an  expression  of 
gratitude  for  that  gentleman’s  good  offices  in 
tendering  him  the  order.  Baron  le  Vicq  was 
at  that  time  the  ambassador  of  the  Archdukes, 
Albert  and  Isabella,  at  the  court  of  France. 
In  the  portrait,  now  in  the  Louvre,  we  see  a 
plain,  vigorous  personality.  The  furrowed 
brow  and  thoughtful  eyes  show  the  man  of 
judgment,  but  a courtier  we  should  not  sus- 


134 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


pect  him  of  being.  It  is  a striking  and  virile 
characterization. 

It  was  in  Paris  that  Rubens  formed  the  ac- 
quaintance of  the  Duke  of  Buckingham.  Two 
portraits  of  this  nobleman  were  painted,  and 
though  not  standing  particularly  well  among 
Rubens’  works,  they  gave  good  satisfaction 
to  the  patron.  It  was  an  indirect  consequence 
of  the  friendship  with  Buckingham  that 
Rubens  was  chosen  by  the  archduchess  as  the 
best  possible  diplomat  to  negotiate  friendly 
relations  between  Spain  and  England.  He 
was  accordingly  sent  to  Spain  to  confer  with 
Philip  IV,  and  here  he  formed  the  friendship 
of  the  great  Velasquez.1  Thence  he  repaired 
to  England,  where  Charles  I,  who  was  a fine 
art  critic,  gave  him  hearty  welcome,  and  at 
once  set  him  to  painting.  The  story  runs  that 
one  day  an  English  courtier,  discovering  the 
Fleming  at  his  easel,  exclaimed,  “ Ah,  his 
Majesty’s  ambassador  occasionally  amuses 
himself  with  painting.”  “ On  the  contrary,” 
replied  Rubens,  “ the  painter  occasionally 
amuses  himself  with  diplomacy.”  The  Rubens 

1 See  page  230. 


RUBENS 


135 


room  at  Windsor  Castle  shows  in  what  esteem 
the  painter  is  still  held  in  England.  One  of 
its  chief  treasures  is  the  delightful  portrait 
composition  of  the  Gerbier  family.  The 
father  and  mother,  a baby  in  arms,  and  eight 
children,  figure  in  this  beautiful  work,  ar- 
ranged diagonally  on  the  oblong  canvas.  The 
setting  is  a colonnaded  portico  opening  on  a 
landscape  in  the  Italian  manner.  With  so 
many  figures  to  consider  one  cannot  think  of 
another  painter  who  could  have  managed  the 
plan  with  such  freshness  and  spontaneity  of 
motive.  As  decorative  as  a fine  old  tapestry, 
it  has  besides  the  merit  of  individual  beauty 
and  distinction  in  every  head. 

It  was  through  the  good  offices  of  Rubens 
that  Charles  I secured  for  England  Raphael’s 
cartoons  for  the  tapestries  of  the  Sistine 
Chapel.  These  precious  treasures  had  been 
stored  away  in  Flanders  when  they  came  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  painter. 

Rubens  left  England  loaded  with  marks  of 
favour.  King  Charles  had  made  him  a 
knight,  bestowing  upon  him  a sword  which  he 
took  from  his  own  person,  and  a diamond  ring 


436 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


from  his  own  finger.  Returning  to  Spain  he 
was  received  with  highest  honour  by  Philip, 
who  bestowed  upon  him  the  order  of  the 
Golden  Key,  and  ordered  portraits  of  the 
royal  family.  It  was  not  in  Rubens  to  put 
kingliness  into  a man  of  Philip’s  character. 
Only  a Velasquez,  or  perhaps  a Titian,  could 
make  much  of  such  a subject.  The  Fleming 
painted  him  with  all  sincerity,  and  showed  the 
monarch  in  all  his  weakness.  Nor  is  Elisa- 
beth of  Bourbon  much  more  successful,  while 
the  young  Cardinal  Ferdinand  is  decidedly 
namby-pamby. 

On  the  whole  Rubens  does  not  deal  with 
royalty  so  successfully  as  with  his  own  friends. 
Some  of  these  were  the  subject  of  admirable 
portrait  work.  There  is  Rockox,  the  burgo- 
master of  Antwerp,  a man  of  scholarly  mind 
and  wise  administration,  with  a twinkle  of 
humour  in  his  make-up.  There  is  the  un- 
known old  4 4 Scholar,”  of  the  Munich  gallery, 
the  genial  man  of  seventy-five,  whose  smile 
has  won  so  many  friends.  There  is  the  so- 
called  44  Dr.  Thulden,”  the  typical  man  of 
medicine,  with  high  brow,  keen  eyes,  and  an 


RUBENS 


137 


air  of  quiet  confidence.  These  are  real  men, 
thoroughly  alive,  and  vigorously  individual- 
ized. A noble  portrait  work,  too,  is  the  group 
of  four  friends  about  a table  in  the  Pitti 
gallery.  Here  is  Rubens,  and  his  brother 
Philip,  with  Lipsius  and  Grotius,  the  cele- 
brated Dutch  scholars.  The  greatest  of  the 
Venetians  might  have  been  proud  of  such 
work,  for  the  richness  and  beauty  of  the 
colour  scheme,  in  which  the  oriental  table 
cover  and  the  fur  collars  are  important  deco- 
rative elements,  and  for  the  simple  seriousness 
and  noble  distinction  of  the  four  heads. 

But  Rubens  was  at  his  best  in  portraiture 
when  he  was  painting  his  family.  There  is 
no  other  head  he  made  so  picturesque  or  so 
distinguished  as  his  own,  no  woman  who  com- 
pares in  charm  with  his  wife  Helena,  no  chil- 
dren with  the  naive  grace  and  beauty  of  his 
own  boys.  His  series  of  family  pictures  are 
a beautiful  record  of  his  domestic  happiness, 
and  a complete  expression  of  his  rare  gift  of 
portraiture  under  the  conditions  best  adapted 
to  develop  this  art.  Rubens  was  first  mar- 
ried in  1609  to  Isabella  Brandt,  and  a souvenir 


138 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


of  their  honeymoon  is  the  charming  portrait 
of  the  bridal  pair  in  the  Munich  gallery. 
They  sit  out  of  doors,  with  hands  linked,  in 
the  manner  made  familiar  to  us  in  many 
similar  pictures  in  Northern  art.  Frans  Hals 
and  his  wife  were  painted  in  much  the  same 
style.  Poor  Isabella  laboured  under  distress- 
ing disadvantages  in  her  stiff  Spanish  corset, 
the  huge  ruff  about  the  neck,  and  the  absurd 
high-peaked  hat  perched  rakishly  aslant.  But 
her  shy  sweet  smile  shows  her  happiness  in 
her  handsome  husband,  and  reveals  the  depth 
of  a gentle  and  winning  nature.  Isabella’s 
face  became  thenceforth  one  of  the  painter’s 
ideals  of  womanly  beauty,  reappearing  in 
various  sacred  subjects. 

Albert  and  Nicholas  were  the  two  eldest 
sons  of  Rubens  and  Isabella.  Round-faced 
boys  were  they  both,  with  features  not  over 
shapely,  but  with  frank  open  countenances 
which  make  them  very  likable.  In  the  well- 
known  portrait  at  Vienna  they  are  painted  in 
full  length,  dressed  in  rich  court  costumes. 
Albert  is  in  black,  slashed  with  white,  while 
Nicholas  has  a blue  jacket  with  yellow  satin 


RUBENS 


139 


trimmings.  The  younger  boy  plays  with  a 
captive  goldfinch  to  while  away  the  tedium  of 
the  sitting,  but  Albert,  with  a manly  sense  of 
the  importance  of  the  occasion,  stands  at  ease, 
with  one  arm  thrown  affectionately  over  his 
brother’s  shoulder.  With  grace  and  distinc- 
tion equal  to  Van  Dyck,  is  united  a charm  of 
naturalness  beyond  the  latter.  The  lovely 
flow  of  line  and  rich  colour  harmony  make  it 
a perfect  masterpiece. 

Helena  Fourment  was  but  sixteen  years  old 
when  in  1630  she  became  the  second  wife  of 
the  painter  of  fifty-three.  In  spite  of  the  dis- 
parity in  age  the  marriage  proved  a very 
happy  one.  Rubens  seems  always  to  have 
kept  a young  heart,  and  he  lavished  every 
token  of  affection  upon  his  idol.  The  garden 
portrait  of  Munich  (called  the  Promenade) 
shows  the  newly  married  couple  in  their  early 
happiness.  The  two  walk  together  along  the 
path  toward  a little  pavilion,  a young  lad, 
perhaps  Albert,  following  them.  Helena 
looks  very  girlish  with  a broad -brimmed  hat 
set  over  her  sunny  curls,  but  the  painter  is 
handsome  and  gallant  enough  to  suit  any 


140 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


young  girl’s  ideal  of  a lover.  The  fruit  trees 
are  in  blossom,  the  peacock  spreads  his  gor- 
geous tail,  a dog  bounds  playfully  towards 
the  fowl.  The  atmosphere  is  redolent  of 
poetry. 

A few  years  later  came  the  beautiful  Morn- 
ing Walk  of  the  Rothschild  collection,  where 
the  painter  and  his  young  wife  are  teaching 
their  baby  to  walk  in  leading  strings.  It  is 
full  of  delightful  sentiment  and  is  almost  un- 
surpassed in  artistic  excellence.  Helena  was 
indeed  a beauty,  and  of  a type  precisely  suited 
to  the  taste  of  Rubens,  embodying  the  ideal 
of  his  dreams.  It  became  his  ruling  passion 
to  paint  her  portrait  in  every  variety  of  pose 
and  costume.  From  such  an  embarrassment 
of  riches  it  is  hard  to  make  selections.  The 
tall  narrow  panel  of  St.  Petersburg  is  masterly 
in  decorative  quality,  in  restraint  and  elegance 
in  the  use  of  black.  The  lady  droops  her 
head  with  a pretty  air  of  timidity,  and  glances 
askance  from  under  her  hat  brim,  half  in  shy- 
ness, and  half  in  coquetry.  We  suspect  her  of 
being  rather  shallow,  but  she  holds  us  captive, 
as  she  did  Rubens.  She  has  rather  more 


Museum,  Amsterdam]  [Rubens 

PORTRAIT  OF  HELENA  FOURMENT 


RUBENS 


141 


womanly  dignity  in  the  Munich  portrait, 
seated  in  a large  chair.  The  eyes  meet  ours 
with  an  expression  of  great  vivacity,  as  if  the 
sitter  were  on  the  point  of  speaking.  One 
is  reminded  of  the  extreme  animation  of  some 
of  Sargent’s  American  women.  The  decora- 
tive scheme  is  superb  — the  black  skirt  opens 
over  a gold  brocaded  white  petticoat,  a violet 
curtain  is  draped  in  the  background,  and  an 
oriental  carpet  covers  the  floor.  A portrait  in 
the  Amsterdam  Gallery  closely  duplicates  the 
head  of  the  Munich  picture. 

As  time  passed,  Helena’s  girlish  figure  be- 
came quite  matronly,  and  added  flesh  coars- 
ened her  beauty.  Rubens,  however,  was  not 
at  all  disillusionized:  he  continued  with  un- 
diminished zest  to  paint  her  as  she  was.  Por- 
traits of  her  with  her  little  boy  on  her  lap  may 
be  seen  in  the  Munich  gallery,  and  in  the 
Louvre.  It  is  also  in  this  less  etherealized 
form  that  she  became  the  model  for  the  Ma- 
donna and  virgin  saints,  and  for  the  various 
goddesses  of  Greek  mythology.  No  other 
woman’s  face  is  so  familiar  to  us  in  the  entire 
range  of  art. 


142 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


The  portrait  of  Rubens  himself  is  a sur- 
prising revelation  of  the  man.  There  is  no 
trace  in  his  face  of  that  vein  of  coarseness 
which  we  find  ourselves  looking  for  in  the 
painter  of  those  over-developed  nudes  which 
make  many  of  his  pictures  distasteful,  and 
some  positively  revolting.  Surely  no  painter 
ever  loved  flesh  and  blood  more  than  he.  Yet 
his  face  is  cut  with  the  refinement  and  deli- 
cacy of  a cameo.  The  fine  eyes  and  sensitive 
mouth  are  those  of  a poet  and  a dreamer.  A 
fondness  for  the  exaggerated  and  sensational 
runs  through  many  of  his  great  canvases. 
Yet  here  is  a man  of  reserve  and  self-com- 
mand. The  artist  stood  apart  from  his  art. 
The  Uffizi  Gallery  of  Florence  contains  two 
portraits  of  Rubens.  One  is  that  of  a young 
man  at  about  the  time  of  his  first  marriage. 
The  other  is  the  likeness  by  which  he  is  best 
known  to  the  world,  painted  in  the  vigour  of 
manhood  at  the  height  of  his  career. 

Again  we  see  him  in  the  Vienna  portrait, 
in  later  life,  grown  somewhat  weary  of  the 
cares  of  this  world,  the  fine  features  sharp- 
ened, the  face  etherealized,  with  an  increased 


Tilizi  Gallery,  Florence] 


PORTRAIT  OF  RUBEN’S 


[Rubens 


RUBENS 


143 


sweetness  of  expression,  and  an  incoming 
sadness  in  the  eyes. 

Rubens’  most  striking  quality  as  a portrait 
painter  was  the  power  of  giving  vitality  to  the 
sitter.  In  character  study  he  was  less  success- 
ful. As  an  eminent  critic  has  said,  “ he 
pushed  a type  in  the  direction  of  his  own 
taste.”  Yet  there  were  occasions  when  a sub- 
ject so  appealed  to  him  as  to  awaken  his  more 
objective  mood.  Then  he  became  a seer  as 
well  as  a painter,  and  produced  works  worthy 
to  rank  with  the  world’s  great  portraits. 


CHAPTER  IX 


THE  PORTRAITS  OF  VAN  DYCK 

S a pupil  of  Rubens,  Van  Dyck  suf- 
fers somewhat  by  comparison  with 
the  great  creative  genius  of  his 
master.  Contrasted  with  the  splendid  versa- 
tility of  the  older  man,  his  gifts  seem  very 
limited.  Aspiring  in  his  early  ambitions  to 
emulate  Rubens  in  every  particular,  he  fell 
far  short  of  the  mark.  Nature  had  intended 
him  for  a specialist,  and  as  the  years  moved 
on  he  reluctantly  concentrated  his  energies  in 
a single  direction.  Portrait  painting  became 
at  last  his  acknowledged  forte.  In  this  field 
the  relation  between  the  two  great  Flemings 
is  reversed.  Van  Dyck’s  place  is  among  the 
world’s  foremost  portrait  painters,  while 
Rubens  falls  into  second  rank. 

Van  Dyck  is  indubitably  one  of  the  peo- 
ple’s favourite  portrait  painters.  It  was  in 

144 


PORTRAITS  OF  VAN  DYCK  145 


the  nature  of  his  art  to  please.  Good  taste 
governed  his  work  from  first  to  last.  No 
false  note  ever  jarred  the  perfect  harmony 
of  his  conceptions.  In  his  hands  a coarse 
subject  was  refined,  an  ugly  subject  beauti- 
fied, and  a beautiful  subject  idealized.  Men, 
women  and  children  yielded  up  to  him  the 
secret  of  the  best  that  was  in  them. 

The  young  Van  Dyck  was  only  nineteen 
years  of  age  when  he  entered  the  studio  of 
Rubens,  but  he  was  already  so  advanced  in 
his  craft  that  he  was  admitted  to  the  freedom 
of  St.  Luke’s  Guild.  For  the  next  three 
years  much  of  his  work  was  in  collaboration 
with  his  master,  and  the  rest  bears  so  strongly 
* the  mark  of  Rubens  that  we  realize  the  wis- 
dom of  the  older  man’s  advice  to  travel  in 
Italy.  With  what  interest  do  we  follow  him 
through  his  five  years’  journeyings  in  the 
enchanted  land  of  art.  With  the  spell  of  the 
old  masters  upon  him  he  began  to  come  into 
his  own.  Titian  was  his  idol,  as  he  had  been 
that  of  Rubens,  and  far  more  imitative  in  his 
nature  than  Rubens,  Van  Dyck  often  bor- 
rowed his  motives  direct  from  the  great  Vene- 


146 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


tian.  Such  borrowings  were,  however,  mostly 
in  subject  compositions.  His  portraits  de- 
clared the  advent  of  a new  master. 

The  portrait  of  Cardinal  Bentivoglio  be- 
longs to  the  Italian  period,  and  marks  a great 
step  forward  in  Van  Dyck’s  career.  Nowhere 
in  the  world  could  the  painter  have  found  a 
sitter  of  more  striking  personality.  Benti- 
voglio was  born  in  Ferrara  in  1579,  and 
at  the  age  of  nineteen  achieved  a diplomatic 
exploit  which  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
pope.  Henceforth  his  services  as  confidential 
adviser  were  in  constant  demand.  None  knew 
better  than  he  how  to  reconcile  apparently 
irreconcilable  interests.  From  one  responsi- 
ble post  to  another  he  had  finally  been  raised 
to  a cardinalship  at  about  the  time  Van  Dyck 
came  to  Italy.  In  the  portrait  he  is  seated  in 
a large  arm-chair  wearing  his  ecclesiastical 
robes,  scarlet  and  white.  The  head  is  turned 
alertly  as  if  to  answer  a question.  At  once  we 
know  this  man  for  what  he  is:  refined  and 
scholarly  in  temperament,  keen  in  insight, 
suave  in  manner,  wary  of  self-revelation ; 
ecclesiastic,  diplomat  and  man  of  the  world. 


PORTRAITS  OF  VAN  DYCK  147 

Seldom  if  ever  again  did  Van  Dyck  produce 
a work  so  spontaneously  and  vitally  conceived. 

It  was  in  Genoa  that  Van  Dyck  made  his 
longest  tarrying.  If  we  may  trust  the  figures 
of  an  eighteenth-century  writer 1 he  made 
seventy-two  portraits  in  this  city  alone.  The 
Genoese  nobility  gave  him  generous  patron- 
age, and  to  this  day  Genoa  is  a treasure 
house  of  his  portraits.  The  great  families 
represented  in  his  canvases  make  a sonorous 
list  of  names:  Doria,  Spinola,  Brignole-Sala, 
Durazzo,  Balbi,  and  Lomellini.  With  this 
class  Van  Dyck  found  his  own  peculiar  voca- 
tion. He  was  preeminently  fitted  to  be  the 
interpreter  of  aristocracy.  Not  since  Titian 
had  the  painter  appeared  who  could  so  en- 
noble his  subjects.  He  had  a magic  gift  of 
imparting  to  his  sitter  an  air  of  dignity  and 
elegant  repose.  He  understood  all  the  signs 
of  birth  and  breeding,  which  are  so  elusive 
when  we  try  to  describe  them,  so  unmistakable 
when  we  see  them.  In  a word  his  portraits 
have  distinction. 

1 Carlo  Giuseppe  Ratti : Instruzione  di  quanto  pu6  vedersi  di 
pul  bello,  in  Genoa,  1780. 


148 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


A perfect  illustration  of  these  qualities  is 
in  the  companion  pictures  of  the  Marchese 
and  the  Marchesa  di  Brignole-Sala,  in  the 
Palazzo  Rosso  at  Genoa.  A romantic  inter- 
est attached  to  this  couple  whose  happy  mar- 
ried life  was  of  such  short  duration.  Upon 
the  death  of  the  marchioness  the  disconsolate 
young  husband  took  priestly  orders,  and 
passed  his  life  in  literary  work.  In  his  por- 
trait the  marchese  is  mounted  on  a splendid 
white  horse,  an  impersonation  of  the  “ verray 
parfit  gentil  knight.”  He  rides  directly 
towards  us  waving  his  plumed  hat  with  one 
hand  as  if  in  salute.  There  is  no  gaiety  in 
the  gesture,  only  a grave  courtesy.  The  face, 
singularly  long  and  narrow,  is  that  of  a poet, 
with  dreamy  eyes  and  a melancholy  sweetness 
of  expression.  The  lady  who  was  the  object 
of  this  life  devotion  makes  a charming  figure 
standing  in  the  portico  of  her  palace.  Her 
rich  dress  sweeps  behind  her  in  lustrous  folds, 
a large  ruff  encircles  her  neck,  and  she  wears 
a jewelled  head-dress,  with  a long  feather. 
Her  face  is  small  and  almost  child-like  in  ex- 
pression, but  she  bears  herself  well.  Apart 


Pallazzo  Rosso,  Genoa]  [Van  Dyck 

PORTRAIT  OF  COUNT  BRIGNOLE - SALA 

(detail] 


PORTRAITS  OF  VAN  DYCK  149 

from  their  other  more  important  merits  as  por- 
traits, both  these  pictures  have  splendid 
decorative  quality. 

One  more  gem  from  the  Genoese  series 
must  be  mentioned  — the  dear  little  “ White 
Bov,”  of  the  Palazzo  Durazzo.  The  white 
satin  costume  suggests  the  name,  made  with 
baggy  knee  breeches  which  give  the  figure  a 
charming  quaintness.  The  little  fellow  stands 
leaning  against  a chair,  arm  akimbo,  looking 
out  at  us  with  an  innocent  smile  which  goes 
straight  to  the  heart.  There  is  nothing  artifi- 
cial in  the  picture;  even  the  child’s  hair  is 
mussed,  as  if  he  had  paused  only  a moment 
in  his  play.  In  freshness  and  spontaneity, 
Van  Dyck  never  in  more  sophisticated  days 
surpassed  this  child  study. 

It  was  probably  in  the  year  1626  when  Van 
Dyck  returned  to  his  native  city  of  Antwerp, 
to  remain  for  the  following  six  years  in  the 
Netherlands.  Though  engaged  during  this 
period  upon  a large  number  of  sacred  paint- 
ings, portrait  orders  crowded  upon  him.  He 
now  had  his  craft  sufficiently  in  hand  to  make 
it  express  his  intention.  It  was  a time  of  con- 


150 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


tinuous  growth,  in  which  he  added  vigour  and 
subtlety  to  his  previous  elegance  and  super- 
ficial charm.  As  in  Italy,  his  patrons  were 
largely  from  the  wealthy  and  titled  classes, 
and  brought  into  full  exercise  his  peculiar 
gifts. 

The  companion  portraits  of  Philippe  Le 
Roy,  and  his  wife,  in  full  length,  show  his 
high  water  mark.  Titian  himself  could  not 
have  given  more  noble  distinction  to  this  gen- 
tleman who  stands  caressing  a large  hound, 
and  confronting  us  with  an  expression  of 
courteous  though  reserved  friendliness.  His 
beautiful  wife,  almost  timid  in  her  sweetness, 
stands  with  equal  grace  and  dignity,  holding 
a large  fan.  The  decorative  quality  here,  as 
in  all  Van  Dyck’s  works,  is  above  praise.  He 
knew  how  to  use  to  the  utmost  advantage  all 
the  rich  accessories  of  costume:  the  shimmer- 
ing lights  on  satin  folds,  the  contrast  of  deli- 
cate lace  against  dark  velvet,  the  gleam  of 
jewels  against  fair  skin. 

Among  the  Spanish  grandees  holding 
official  positions  in  the  Low  Countries  was  the 
Marquis  of  Moncada,  for  whom  Van  Dyck 


Wallace  Collection,  London]  [Van  Dyck 

PORTRAIT  OF  PHILIPPE  LE  ROT 

(detail) 


PORTRAITS  OF  VAN  DYCK  151 


painted  one  of  his  finest  equestrian  portraits. 
The  man  himself  had  neither  beauty  nor  dis- 
tinction, but  dressed  in  full  armour  and  en- 
throned upon  a superb  white  horse,  he  had 
every  advantage  which  art  could  give  him. 
There  is  a tradition  that  Rubens  had  pre- 
sented Van  Dyck  with  a white  horse  as  a 
parting  gift  on  the  occasion  of  his  journey 
into  Italy,  and  this  is  the  noble  animal,  we  are 
told  to  believe,  which  figures  so  often  on  Van 
Dyck’s  canvases.  Whether  this  is  so  or  not, 
Van  Dyck  showed  an  intimate  understand- 
ing of  horses,  as  well  as  of  dogs,  and  in  many 
instances  introduced  them  with  fine  effect  into 
his  pictures.  The  horse  of  Moncada  is  not 
a mechanical  accessory,  but  the  most  beautiful 
and  vital  feature  in  the  composition. 

An  episode  of  Van  Dyck’s  Netherlandish 
period  was  a visit  to  Haarlem  and  Frans  Hals. 
Appearing  at  the  studio  incognito,  he  asked 
to  have  his  portrait  painted  in  two  hours. 
Hals  accomplished  the  order  in  the  given 
time,  when  Van  Dyck  remarked  that  painting 
appeared  a simple  matter:  he  would  like  to 
try  it  himself.  Seating  himself  at  the  easel 


152 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


he  had  not  proceeded  far  when  Hals  ex- 
claimed in  amazement,  “ You  are  Van  Dyck, 
no  person  but  he  could  do  what  you  have 
done.” 

In  the  pictures  of  Van  Dyck’s  Flemish 
period  are  some  delightful  studies  of  child 
life.  The  little  daughter  of  Madame  de 
Colyns  pulling  impatiently  her  mother’s  arm, 
and  turning  around  shyly  to  the  painter,  was 
apparently  “ caught  ” upon  the  canvas  with- 
out any  attempt  at  posing.  The  essential 
child  spirit  is  here:  she  is  a real  little  girl. 
The  serious  little  boy  who  stands  with  his 
father  in  the  portrait  called  Richardot  and  his 
Son,  is  of  another  type,  but  not  a whit  less 
childlike.  He  is  proud  and  happy  to  be  with 
his  father,  and  though  he  regards  the  painter’s 
awesome  preparations  with  no  little  timidity 
he  means  to  stand  quiet  and  do  his  part 
towards  the  picture.  It  was  also  in  his  years 
of  residence  in  Antwerp  that  Van  Dyck 
progressed  in  the  knowledge  of  the  eternal 
feminine.  The  face  of  Madame  de  Colyns  is 
beautiful  in  motherliness,  in  the  patience  and 
serenity  of  expression  which  tell  the  story  of 


Wallace  Collection,  London]  [Van  Dyck 

PORTRAIT  OF  MADAME  LE  ROT 

(detail) 


PORTRAITS  OF  VAN  DYCK  153 


her  unselfish  life.  The  unknown  lady  in  the 
Louvre  group  of  Mother  and  Child  is  ex- 
quisite in  gentle  refinement.  Anna  Wake, 
too,  is  of  those  rare  spirits  who  live  like 
Elaine  in  a high  tower  chamber  of  idealism. 
But  Louisa  van  Tassis  is  a coquette.  The 
eyes  gleam  with  mischief,  and  the  small  mouth 
curves  in  an  enchanting  smile.  Not  since 
Mona  Lisa  has  a smile  proved  so  fascinating 
to  so  many  people.  Yet  Louisa’s  smile  has 
none  of  the  mystery  of  the  Italian  lady’s;  it 
is  frankly  teasing. 

A very  interesting  portrait  of  the  Arch- 
duchess Isabella  gives  us  an  insight  into  the 
character  of  this  remarkable  woman.  Late  in 
life  she  took  religious  orders,  and  even  as 
abbess  she  still  held  firmly  the  reins  of  gov- 
ernment. She  was  sixty-six  years  of  age 
when  she  discovered,  and  promptly  averted, 
a plot  to  raise  the  Low  Countries  to  an  inde- 
pendent republic.  This  is  the  woman  of 
indomitable  will  whom  Van  Dyck  shows  us. 
The  severe  simplicity  of  her  religious  garb 
accentuates  the  forcible  character  of  the  coun- 
tenance. There  is  a shrewd  gleam  — half 


154 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


humourous — in  the  eyes,  and  the  large  mouth, 
with  tightly  closed  lips,  reveals  the  person  of 
determination.  The  story  runs  that  at  the 
siege  of  Ostend,  at  which  she  accompanied 
her  husband,  she  vowed  she  would  not  change 
her  linen  till  the  city  was  hers,  and  looking 
into  this  face,  we  may  almost  believe  she  kept 
the  vow,  though  the  siege  lasted  over  three 
years ! 

Van  Dyck  had  been  appointed  court 
painter  to  Isabella  in  1631,  and  in  the  follow- 
ing year  came  the  much  more  important  ap- 
pointment at  the  court  of  England.  Charles 
I was  a genuine  connoisseur,  and  was  eager 
to  avail  himself  of  the  best  talent  the  world 
afforded.  He  was  already  an  ardent  admirer 
of  Rubens,  and  he  was  quick  to  recognize  the 
excellence  of  Van  Dyck’s  work.  He  now 
made  the  painter  a prime  favourite,  estab- 
lished him  in  a house  at  Blackfriars,  conferred 
the  honour  of  knighthood  upon  him  and 
busied  him  with  commissions. 

Van  Dyck’s  entire  life  up  to  this  time  had 
precisely  fitted  him  for  this  position,  as  if 
destiny  had  shaped  him  for  this  sole  end. 


PORTRAITS  OF  VAN  DYCK  155 


Never  was  court  painter  so  fortunate  in  a 
patron,  and  never  was  king  so  fortunate  in 
an  interpreter,  not  even  Titian  and  Charles 
V,  nor  Velasquez  and  Philip  IV.  The  two 
men  understood  each  other  from  the  first. 
Together  they  set  forth  the  Stuart  doctrine 
of  the  divine  right  of  kings.  For  if  Charles 
knew  how  to  act  the  part,  it  was  Van  Dyck 
who  made  him  look  the  part.  It  is  indeed  im- 
possible to  separate  Charles  I in  our  thoughts 
from  the  portraits  in  which  Van  Dyck  has 
perpetuated  his  personality.  Always  as  we 
read  the  story  of  his  reign  there  rises  before 
us  the  vision  of  the  poetic  face,  framed  in  the 
waving  hair,  with  melancholy  eyes,  and  a re- 
mote expression. 

Van  Dyck’s  nine  years’  residence  in  Eng- 
land were  the  palmiest  days  of  Charles.  He 
was  trying  his  experiment  of  ruling  without 
a Parliament,  and  ignoring  the  discontent  of 
the  people,  was  in  the  full  enjoyment  of 
fancied  success.  It  was  not  till  1641  that 
England’s  wrath  burst  forth  — the  very  year 
of  Van  Dyck’s  death.  In  the  long  struggle 
which  followed  there  were  many  gallant 


156 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Royalists  who  held  stoutly  to  the  king’s 
cause.  Yet  perhaps  not  one  of  them  all,  not 
even  those  who  laid  down  their  lives  in  the 
Civil  War,  did  so  much  for  the  Stuart  cause 
as  Van  Dyck  had  done  in  the  royal  portraits. 
We  must  accept  seriously  the  historian’s  ver- 
dict, extravagant  as  it  may  seem,  that  these 
pictures,  with  their  melancholy  majesty,  had 
a great  influence  in  producing  a reactionary 
sentiment  in  favour  of  the  martyred  king 
and  the  final  restoration  of  the  Stuarts. 

Van  Dyck  is  said  to  have  made  no  less  than 
thirty-eight  portraits  of  the  king,  and  thirty- 
five  of  the  queen,  Henrietta  Maria,  besides 
many  pictures  of  their  children,  singly  or  in 
groups.  A noble  monument  of  the  court 
painter’s  work  is  the  Van  Dyck  room  of 
Windsor  Castle,  containing  twenty-two  of  his 
pictures,  of  which  ten  are  royal  portraits. 
Here  is  the  interesting  three-fold  portrait  of 
Charles,  showing  the  head  from  different 
points  of  view.  This  was  painted  to  send  to 
Rernini,  to  guide  him  in  making  a portrait 
bust  of  the  king.  The  sculptor  examined  the 
pictures  gravely,  and  exclaimed,  “ Something 


PORTRAITS  OF  VAN  DYCK  157 


evil  will  befall  this  man;  he  carries  misfor- 
tune on  his  face.”  In  the  Windsor  collection 
is  also  Van  Dyck’s  equestrian  portrait  of  the 
king,  riding  forth  under  a marble  arch.  Still 
another  portrait  here  shows  him  in  full  length, 
in  his  robes  of  state.  Not  any  of  these,  how- 
ever, equals  in  beauty  and  distinction  the 
famous  portrait  of  the  Louvre.  The  setting 
is  a wooded  glade.  Charles  is  in  hunting 
costume,  and  having  dismounted,  stands  in 
profile,  turning  towards  the  spectator,  while 
an  equerry  holds  the  horse  behind  him.  The 
broad-brimmed  Cavalier’s  hat,  worn  jauntily 
aslant,  the  short  white  satin  tunic,  the  knee 
breeches  and  high  buskins,  the  long  swinging 
sword,  and  the  fierce  spurs,  give  much  ro- 
mantic charm  to  the  figure.  The  air  of  aloof- 
ness with  which  he  surveys  the  scene  is  Van 
Dyck’s  subtlest  touch.  Even  in  holiday 
mood,  Charles  does  not  forget  that  he  is  king. 
The  canvas  is  like  a rich  old  tapestry;  over- 
head the  spreading  branches  of  the  tree  em- 
broidered against  the  cloud -flecked  sky,  and 
beneath  the  harmoniously  interwoven  figures 
of  the  king,  his  horse  and  the  attendants. 


158 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


The  king  is  seen  in  full  official  dignity  in 
the  Dresden  portrait,  and  though  this  picture 
is  in  all  probability  Sir  Peter’s  Lely’s  copy  of 
Van  Dyck’s  original,  it  is  thoroughly  charac- 
teristic. Charles  now  wears  the  mantle  of  the 
order  of  the  Garter,  resplendent  with  the 
great  six-pointed  silver  star.  With  one  hand 
resting  on  a table,  he  turns  as  if  to  survey  the 
whole  English  nation  with  his  supercilious 
glance.  Cavil  as  we  may  at  the  weakness  of 
the  face,  and  the  affected  languor  of  the  ex- 
pression, we  must  admit  that  we  are  in  the 
presence  of  royalty.  It  was  with  the  same 
calm  majesty  of  bearing  that  we  imagine  him 
walking  forth  on  the  January  morning  of 
1649  to  meet  his  death  upon  the  scaffold. 
“ I go,”  said  he,  “ from  a corruptible  to  an 
incorruptible  crown.” 

In  portraits  of  the  Queen  Henrietta  Maria, 
Van  Dyck  contented  himself  with  superficial 
prettiness  rather  than  with  any  psychological 
analysis.  There  is  much  in  the  history  of  this 
French  princess  that  is  admirable:  her  devo- 
tion to  her  husband,  and  her  fortitude  and 
courage  in  the  great  crisis.  But  in  these 


PORTRAITS  OF  VAN  DYCK  159 


earlier  years  of  her  married  life,  her  character 
was  as  yet  untested,  and  apparently  Van 
Dyck  had  no  notion  of  its  latent  possibilities. 
The  small  regular  features  and  rather  insipid 
expression  are  familiar  to  us  through  their 
frequent  repetition  in  half-length  and  full- 
length  figures.  A stiff  row  of  curls  is  pressed 
flat  across  the  forehead  in  the  prevailing 
fashion.  Perhaps  the  most  attractive  of  her 
portraits,  one  altogether  unique  in  the  series, 
is  the  full-length  figure  accompanied  by  the 
dwarf  Geoffrey  Hudson.  A large  hat  lends 
a picturesque  charm  to  the  composition,  and 
the  lady  seems  here  a real  human  being  and 
not  a royal  doll.  The  queen  had  a peculiar 
fancy  for  dwarfs  which  were  in  this  period 
the  common  playthings  of  royalty.  At  the 
Spanish  court  they  were  in  high  favour,  and 
were  often  painted  by  Velasquez.1  Geoffrey 
Hudson  was  eighteen  inches  high  and  cele- 
brated for  his  intelligence.  Sir  Walter  Scott, 
in  “ Peveril  of  the  Peak,”  tells  the  amusing 
story  of  the  little  man’s  first  appearance  at 
court.  It  was  at  some  royal  fete  where  a 

1 See  page  248. 


160 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


banquet  was  served.  A huge  pie  was  brought 
in  and  placed  upon  the  board,  when  out 
stepped  Geoffrey,  to  the  infinite  amusement 
of  the  queen. 

The  children  of  Charles  I are,  it  is  safe  to 
say,  the  best  known  picture  children  of  the 
world.  Nearly  every  important  gallery  has 
one  of  Van  Dyck’s  portrait  groups,  and 
copies  and  reproductions  have  carried  these 
works  far  and  wide.  All  these  pictures  are 
noticeably  deficient  in  compositional  excel- 
lence. The  figures  stand  in  a stiff  row  as  a 
provincial  photographer  might  have  arranged 
them.  The  delightful  spontaneity  of  Van 
Dyck’s  earlier  child  studies  is  altogether  miss- 
ing. The  painter  evidently  regarded  these 
groups  as  official  portraits.  The  young 
princes  and  princesses  were  on  parade,  and 
it  was  fitting  that  they  should  bear  their 
honours  with  dignity.  Hence  they  pose  in 
grown  up  attitudes  of  men  and  women,  and 
are  more  or  less  self-conscious  in  expression. 
They  are,  nevertheless,  charmingly  pretty 
and  winning.  Charles,  the  young  Prince  of 
Wales,  described  even  by  his  fond  mother  as 


Turin  Gallery] 


PORTRAIT  OF  PRINCE  CHARLES 

(detail) 


[Van  Dyck 


PORTRAITS  OF  VAN  DYCK  161 


a hopelessly  ugly  baby,  is  painted  with  beau- 
tiful round  big  eyes,  and  a veritable  Cupid’s 
bow  of  a mouth.  It  is  hard  to  believe  that 
he  grew  up  to  be  the  weak  and  dissolute  King 
Charles  II.  Little  Mary  is  a miniature  repe- 
tition of  the  queen.  James,  Duke  of  York, 
is  more  delightfully  child-like  than  either. 
They  all  wear  the  most  enchanting  finery, 
which  adds  not  a little  to  our  satisfaction. 
The  three  eldest  children  are  the  most  famil- 
iar. Two  younger  daughters,  Elizabeth  and 
Anne,  introduced  into  some  larger  groups, 
are  less  interesting. 

Van  Dyck’s  favour  with  the  king  naturally 
drew  to  him  the  patronage  of  nearly  all  the 
English  peerage.  There  is  scarcely  a great 
house  in  England  to-day  which  does  not 
cherish  some  ancestral  portrait  by  Van  Dyck. 
Painted  in  the  decade  preceding  the  Civil 
War,  his  works  are  of  immense  interest  in  the 
character  study  of  many  who  figured  promi- 
nently in  the  ensuing  conflict.  Foremost 
among  them  was  Wentworth,  Earl  of  Straf- 
ford, at  one  time  the  king’s  strongest  coun- 
sellor, in  whom,  says  the  historian,  “ the  very 


162 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


genius  of  tyranny  was  embodied.”  Van 
Dyck’s  best  portrait  of  the  earl  shows  him 
seated  with  his  secretary  at  a table.  Macau- 
lay’s splendid  description  has  made  this  work 
a famous  historical  document.  Van  Dyck  is 
nowhere  stronger  and  more  penetrating  in 
his  character  delineation.  The  determined 
mouth  and  glowering  eyes  show  the  resolute 
energy  of  a man  whose  theory  of  government 
was  to  rule  by  fear.  Fearing  nothing  him- 
self, he  pursued  his  “ thorough  ” policy  until 
the  indignation  of  an  outraged  people 
brought  him  to  the  scaffold. 

Another  of  the  king’s  counsellors  was 
Archbishop  Laud,  whose  persistent  opposition 
to  Puritanism  made  him  also  an  object  of 
popular  hatred,  and  cost  him  his  life.  There 
is  something  very  pathetic  in  the  careworn 
face  of  Van  Dyck’s  portrait,  and  an  expres- 
sion of  benignity  which  softens  our  opinion 
of  his  bigotry.  We  can  better  understand 
how,  as  he  took  barge  for  the  Tower,  hun- 
dreds of  his  poor  neighbours  stood  by  praying 
for  his  safety. 

One  of  the  staunchest  adherents  of  the 


PORTRAITS  OF  VAN  DYCK  163 


Crown  was  the  king’s  cousin,  James  Stuart, 
Duke  of  Lenox  and  Richmond.  He  was  a 
born  courtier,  a typical  Cavalier,  precisely  the 
sort  of  figure  Van  Dyck  loved  to  idealize. 
The  Metropolitan  Museum  in  New  York  is 
fortunate  in  possessing  a splendid  full  length 
portrait  of  this  young  man,  painted  in  Van 
Dyck’s  most  distinguished  vein.  He  stands 
with  his  hand  on  the  head  of  a favourite  grey- 
hound, and  turns  his  high  bred  face  to  ours 
with  an  engaging  smile.  The  rich  court  cos- 
tume is  ornamented  with  the  insignia  of  the 
order  of  the  Garter,  and  the  figure  is  a com- 
plete impersonation  of  the  court  life  of  the 
period. 

Philip,  Lord  Wharton,  was  another  young 
nobleman  whom  Van  Dyck  painted  in  a 
charming  fancy  portrait,  in  the  costume  of 
a shepherd.  One  would  scarcely  suppose  that 
this  rather  soft-faced  youth  would  be  made 
of  stern  stuff.  In  later  years,  however,  his 
conscience  compelled  him  to  enter  the  Parlia- 
mentary army,  taking  sides  against  the  king 
whose  friend  he  had  been.  Van  Dyck  was 
especially  happy  in  painting  the  younger  men 


164 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


of  the  court,  like  Lord  John  and  Lord  Ber- 
nard Stuart,  George  Digby,  the  Earl  of 
Bristol,  and  William,  Duke  of  Bedford. 

His  patrons  included  many  “ fair  women,” 
as  well  as  “ brave  men.”  There  is  something 
of  sameness  among  them,  a resemblance  due 
not  altogether  to  the  uniformity  of  fashion. 
The  painter  was  impartial  in  bestowing  small 
features,  and  a rosebud  mouth  upon  them  all. 
Venetia,  Lady  Digby,  is  one  of  these  fa- 
voured ladies.  Another  still  more  celebrated 
was  the  Countess  of  Sunderland,  whom  he 
painted  many  times.  This  is  the  “ Saccha- 
rissa  ” who  inspired  the  muse  of  Waller,  and 
to  whom  was  written  the  exquisite  “ Go, 
lovely  Rose.”  The  poet  wrote  also  in  praise 
of  Van  Dyck’s  beautiful  portrait,  as  Petrarch 
had,  so  many  centuries  before,  sung  the 
praises  of  Memmi’s  portrait  of  his  Laura. 
Beatrice  de  Cusance  is  a far  more  fascinating 
creature  than  these.  She  is  painted  in  full 
length,  turning  to  look  at  us  with  a half 
disdainful,  and  altogether  adorable  expres- 
sion. As  in  Louisa  van  Tassis,  the  painter 


PORTRAITS  OF  VAN  DYCK  165 


has  caught  here  a fleeting  vision  of  a woman’s 
soul. 

As  the  years  moved  on,  Van  Dyck’s  work 
began  to  show  signs  of  deterioration.  It  is 
hard  even  for  a strong  man  to  withstand  the 
temptations  of  flattery  and  success,  and  Van 
Dyck’s  moral  fibre  was  by  no  means  of  the 
strongest.  To  meet  the  demands  upon  him 
he  was  obliged  to  depend  much  upon-  the 
help  of  assistants,  and  his  work  became  me- 
chanical. In  elegance  and  repose  his  figures 
were  never  deficient,  but  even  this  elegance 
became  stereotyped.  We  weary  at  last  of  his 
oft  repeated  motives,  of  the  pillared  back- 
ground, with  the  draped  curtain,  of  the  men 
with  arms  akimbo,  and  the  women  with  hands 
folded  in  front,  of  the  averted  gaze,  and  self- 
conscious  expression.  In  the  painting  of  the 
hands  we  notice  a decided  decline  from  the 
earlier  days  when  he  reproduced  so  carefully 
their  individual  characteristics.  Now  a studio 
model  supplied  this  feature  for  the  pictures, 
and  we  find  the  same  delicate  and  character- 
less hand  with  tapering  fingers,  reappearing 
indifferently  on  the  men,  women  and  children 


166 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


of  his  canvases.  More  serious  still  is  the  ac- 
companying decline  in  characterization  which 
is  especially  apparent  in  the  women. 

It  may  be  because  the  painter  realized  that 
danger  threatened  his  art  if  he  continued  as  he 
was,  that  he  began  to  plan  a return  to  Ant- 
werp. It  may  be  that  he  foresaw  the  troubles 
awaiting  his  royal  patron  in  England.  Doubt- 
less he  longed  for  another  chance  to  paint  the 
great  subject  pictures  which  he  had  always 
been  so  ambitious  to  produce.  Rubens  was 
now  dead  and  he  was  the  greatest  living 
Flemish  painter.  A hearty  welcome  awaited 
him  in  his  native  land.  But  the  painter’s 
homecoming  was  never  accomplished.  Under 
the  double  strain  of  self-indulgence  and  pro- 
fessional labours  his  health  was  undermined. 
In  the  midst  of  his  arrangements  the  hand  of 
death  was  upon  him,  and  his  life  came  to  an 
end  in  December,  1641. 

Much  has  been  written  of  the  place  of  Van 
Dyck  in  the  history  of  art.  By  universal  con- 
sent his  name  is  associated  with  those  of  the 
great  Venetians.  The  leading  notes  of  his 
style  are  distinction,  repose,  charm.  Generally 


PORTRAITS  OF  VAN  DYCK  167 


speaking  he  was  little  of  a psychologist.  His 
patrons  belonged  to  that  social  class  in  which 
reserve  is  a test  of  breeding.  The  painter 
was  not  required  to  interpret  their  character. 
Yet  he  was  capable  of  a profound  character 
study,  and  as  opportunity  offered,  showed  a 
remarkable  insight  into  the  minds  of  his  sub- 
jects. His  fine  decorative  sense,  united  with 
brilliant  technique,  gives  great  pictorial  value 
to  his  works,  aside  from  their  qualities  as 
portraits.  His  merits  need  no  explanation: 
they  are  of  the  obvious  kind  which  appeal  to 
a wide  public.  While  greater  artists  may  be 
ignored,  or  unappreciated,  he  has  always  been 
admired.  His  work  was  the  inspiration  of  the 
eighteenth-century  English  portrait  school, 
and  to  this  day  his  popularity  is  still  undimin- 
ished in  England  and  America. 


CHAPTER  X 


DUTCH  PORTRAIT  PAINTING  AND  THE 
CORPORATION  GROUPS 

ERHAPS  no  country  in  the  world 
has  so  distinct  an  individuality  as 
Holland.  In  physical  aspects,  in 
political  history,  and  in  the  character  of  the 
people,  it  is  entirely  unique.  How  different 
was  the  Dutch  temper  from  that  of  their 
neighbours  in  the  southern  provinces  came  out 
during  the  long  struggle  of  the  Netherlands 
with  Spain,  when  the  seven  provinces  of  the 
north  formed  themselves  into  the  Dutch  Re- 
public (1579).  It  was  a final  victory  of  their 
national  spirit  when  the  Treaty  of  1648  ac- 
knowledged them  an  independent  nation, 
while  their  sister  provinces  still  remained 
under  the  Spanish  yoke. 

Not  all  the  storm  and  stress  of  these  eighty 
years’  warfare  could  prevail  against  the  steady 

168 


DUTCH  PAINTING 


169 


development  of  Dutch  commercial  prosperity. 
Fighting,  farming  and  fishing  all  went  on 
simultaneously.  The  same  indomitable  cour- 
age which  wrested  victory  from  Spain  was  at 
the  same  time  wresting  riches  from  nature. 
In  the  early  seventeenth  century,  no  other 
country  in  the  world  had  so  large  a fleet  of 
vessels  on  the  sea,  meadows  so  rich  in  cattle, 
or  cities  so  busy  with  industries.  It  was  this 
material  wealth  which  provided,  not  the 
formative  causes,  but  the  favourable  condi- 
tions for  the  development  of  an  art,  whose 
foundations  had  been  laid  simultaneously  with 
the  Flemish,  but  whose  beginnings  had  been 
far  less  promising.  Italian  influence  for 
awhile  hampered  both  nationalities,  but  the 
seventeenth  century  set  them  free,  the  Dutch 
about  a decade  behind  their  neighbours.  It 
was  during  the  golden  age  of  Frederick 
Henry,  whose  rule  as  stadtholder  extended 
from  1625  to  T 647,  that  the  Hollandish  Re- 
naissance brought  Dutch  art  to  the  perfect 
flowering.  It  now  took  on  a rare  beauty  of 
its  own,  neither  German  nor  Flemish,  nor  yet 
Italian,  but  distinctly  Dutch.  It  was  a com- 


170 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


plete  expression  of  the  new-born  spirit  of 
national  freedom.  While  the  revival  of 
Flemish  art,  as  we  have  seen,  received  positive 
help  by  the  residence  of  the  Spanish  regents 
in  the  Netherlands,  Dutch  art  owed  little  or 
nothing  to  foreign  patronage.  And  while 
Flemish  art  always  bore  a strong  flavour  of 
foreign  graftings,  Dutch  art  was  distinctly 
provincial  in  character. 

Naturally  the  religious  convictions  of  Hol- 
land tended  to  turn  the  art  impulse  from  old 
channels  into  new.  The  sturdy  Dutch  Prot- 
estants were  averse  to  the  church  decoration 
which  was  prevalent  in  the  Roman  Catholic 
provinces  of  the  southern  Netherlands.  There 
was  little  demand  for  sacred  altar-pieces  such 
as  Rubens  and  Van  Dyck  were  painting  for 
their  Flemish  patrons.  As  a result  entirely 
new  fields  of  art  were  opened  up  in  painting 
landscape,  still  life,  animals,  flowers  and  the 
like.  In  the  meantime  the  first  effect  was  to 
strengthen  the  uses  of  the  portrait.  Now 
for  the  first  time,  the  demand  for  portrait 
painting  was  so  great  that  it  was  possible  for 
a painter  to  devote  himself  exclusively  to  this 


DUTCH  PAINTING 


171 


one  thing.  Every  well-to-do  burgher  wished 
a portrait  of  himself  and  his  wife,  or  better 
still,  a group  of  the  whole  family.  Even  more 
important  than  such  private  orders  was  the 
call  for  large  groups  from  corporations. 
There  was  no  trade  or  profession  which  had 
not  its  own  guild:  drapers,  wine-merchants, 
painters,  surgeons,  and  so  on  through  the  list. 
Besides  these  were  the  military  companies 
which  were  most  noteworthy  organizations. 
All  these  bodies  took  pride  in  having  portrait 
groups  of  their  members  hung  in  the  assembly 
halls.  The  fashion  extended  to  all  governing 
boards:  the  magistrates  of  the  city,  the  re- 
gents of  hospitals,  almshouses,  orphan  asy- 
lums, and  charitable  institutions  of  various 
kinds.  A veritable  passion  for  portrait  im- 
mortality was  in  the  air.  In  every  public 
gallery  of  Holland  one  sees  these  corporation 
groups.  They  are  the  most  characteristic  art 
product  of  the  period.  Often  there  are  whole 
series  of  such  works  as  those  at  Delft,  in  the 
Town  Hall,  and  the  Hospital;  the  four  by 
Ravesteyn  at  The  Hague,  the  five  by  Elias 
Pickenoy  in  Amsterdam,  the  six  by  Schooten, 


172 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


at  Leyden,  and  lastly  the  splendid  array  of 
eight,  by  Frans  Hals,  in  the  Town  Hall  at 
Haarlem.  To  describe  them  all  in  full  would 
make  monotonous  reading,  yet  there  is  scarcely 
one  which  is  not  interesting  as  a human 
document  and  as  a record  of  national  art 
progress.  The  figures  range  from  four  or 
five  to  twenty  or  thirty,  and  as  the  number 
increases,  the  compositional  qualities  weaken. 
The  painter  had  an  almost  insoluble  problem 
in  adjusting  the  exigencies  of  his  art  to  the 
demands  of  his  patrons.  Each  individual 
wanted  a conspicuous  position  and  a satis- 
factory likeness,  yet  how  to  attain  this  when 
the  principles  of  art  composition  require  the 
subordination  of  some  elements  to  others? 
The  sitters  were  best  pleased  when  placed  in 
stiff  rows  where  all  fared  alike.  The  earlier 
painters  contented  themselves  with  this  primi- 
tive method,  and  showed  what  manner  of 
artist  they  were  only  in  the  handling  of  indi- 
vidual heads.  Mierevelt’s  Anatomy  Lesson 
(1617)  at  Delft,  is  of  this  class,  and  in  spite 
of  its  wooden  poses  and  mechanical  arrange- 
ment contains  two  or  three  really  interesting 


Royal  Museum,  The  Hague]  [Rembrandt 

GROUP  OF  HEADS  FROM  ANATOMY  LESSON 


DUTCH  PAINTING 


173 


heads.  The  picture,  however,  is  made  un- 
necessarily revolting  by  the  treatment  of  the 
cadaver,  which  is  opened  to  show  the  viscera. 

The  subject  of  the  Anatomy  Lesson  was 
one  in  great  favour  with  surgeons’  guilds, 
and  represented  the  members  gathered  about 
a dissecting-table,  ostensibly  listening  to  the 
professor’s  demonstration.  It  was  an  attempt 
to  supply  a story  motive  for  a portrait  group. 
When  we  turn  from  Mierevelt’s  picture  to 
Rembrandt’s  famous  treatment  of  the  same 
theme,  in  the  year  1632,  we  can  understand 
the  furore  which  the  latter  aroused  in  Amster- 
dam. Here  is  genuine  dramatic  interest  as 
the  colleagues  bend  eagerly  over  the  subject. 
If  their  zeal  is  slightly  exaggerated,  not  so 
that  of  Dr.  Tulp,  the  demonstrator,  who 
speaks  with  the  calm  deliberation  of  the  scien- 
tist. The  fine  strong  personality  preserved 
in  this  portrait  is  a type  of  that  class  of  men 
whose  scholarship  made  the  Dutch  universities 
so  famous  in  the  seventeenth  century.  All 
the  heads  are  convincing  likenesses,  and  we 
may  well  believe  that  they  were  gratifying  to 
the  originals.  The  subject,  too,  is  treated  in 


174 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


as  good  taste  as  is  possible  with  the  unpleasant 
theme:  the  muscles  of  the  arm  are  under  dis- 
cussion. Rembrandt  had  at  this  time  but 
recently  set  up  his  studio  in  Amsterdam, 
having  removed  thither  from  his  native 
Leyden  The  success  of  this  first  important 
commission  augured  a brilliant  future  for  the 
young  painter.  Happy  in  his  marriage,  he 
now  entered  upon  a busy  and  fruitful  decade 
of  his  career. 

The  military  groups  were  of  course  the 
most  common  of  all  forms  of  corporation  pic- 
tures. To  begin  with  a typical  work  in  the 
older  method,  one  might  take  Ravesteyn’s 
masterpiece  at  The  Hague:  The  Officers  of 
the  Civil  Guard  leaving  the  Town  Hall, 
painted  in  1616.  Here  the  power  of  good 
portrait  art  makes  itself  felt  under  the  most 
adverse  conditions.  The  figures  are  ar- 
ranged in  two  tiers,  along  a balcony  and  on 
the  ground  floor,  and  are  packed  solidly  to- 
gether. Rut  here  and  there,  in  the  huddled 
rows  of  faces,  one  catches  a singularly  expres- 
sive countenance. 

Tt  was  a bold  and  delightful  innovation 


Town  Hall,  Haarlem]  [Frans  Hals 

GROUP  FROM  BANQUET  OF  ST.  GEORGE  SHOOTING  GUILD 

(1627) 


DUTCH  PAINTING 


175 


when  Frans  Hals  produced  at  nearly  the 
same  time,  his  first  great  corporation  picture, 
The  Banquet  of  St.  George  Shooting  Guild, 
at  Haarlem.  The  company  are  seated  about 
the  table,  engaged  in  lively  conversation. 
The  motive  is  so  simple  and  natural  that  one 
wonders  why  it  had  not  been  commonly  used 
before.  There  is  really  good  and  sufficient 
reason  here  for  bringing  the  company  to- 
gether — one,  too,  which  shows  the  most 
agreeable  side  of  the  participants.  The 
groups  into  which  they  fall  are  united  by 
standing  figures,  and  the  coherence  of  the 
linear  composition  is  admirably  maintained. 
But  though  the  artist  was  bold  in  breaking 
away  from  the  old  custom  of  rows,  he  dared 
not  follow  his  scheme  to  its  logical  conclusion. 
The  perspective  indicates  considerable  depth 
of  space,  but  the  figures  in  the  rear  are  as 
sharply  defined  as  those  in  front.  “ Values  ” 
are  set  entirely  at  defiance.  The  patrons  be- 
hind the  table  would  have  been  highly  of- 
fended to  be  cast  in  the  shadow  by  any  haze 
of  distance. 

It  was  by  this  great  picture  that  Frans 


176 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Hals  suddenly  sprang  from  obscurity  to  fame. 
How  and  where  he  obtained  the  necessary 
practice  which  must  have  preceded  such 
craftsmanship,  we  do  not  know.  He  had  re- 
moved from  Antwerp  to  Haarlem,  the  home 
of  his  ancestors,  at  the  beginning  of  the  cen- 
tury, but  nothing  is  known  of  him  during  the 
first  fifteen  years  of  his  residence  there.  Some 
work,  now  lost,  must  have  demonstrated  his 
fitness  for  so  important  a commission  from 
the  St.  George  Guild.  Be  this  as  it  may,  he 
is  not  again  lost  sight  of  till  his  death  at  a 
good  old  age.  His  next  corporation  picture 
belongs  to  the  year  1627,  when  he  again 
painted  the  St.  George  Guild,  and  also,  for 
the  first  time  the  Shooting  Guild  of  St. 
Adrian.  The  banquet  motive  is  again  em- 
ployed, but  less  formally.  The  men  stand  or 
lounge  in  knots,  and  some  wear  their  broad - 
brimmed  hats.  To  avoid  false  values,  such 
as  the  picture  of  1616  contained,  the  figures 
are  massed  as  much  as  possible  in  the  fore- 
ground, and  this  produces  a somewhat 
crowded  and  confused  effect.  Yet  these 
faults  are  trifles  beside  the  great  portrait 


DUTCH  PAINTING 


177 


work  the  pictures  reveal.  One  singles  out  one 
head  after  another  for  special  praise.  A 
spirit  of  good  comradeship  animates  every 
figure.  The  passing  moment  is  seized  by  the 
artist  and  crystallized  into  permanency. 

The  pictures  of  1627  mark  the  half-way 
point  between  the  work  of  1616  and  the  mas- 
terpiece of  1633,  which  was  a second  St. 
Adrian’s  group.  To  keep  all  the  figures  well 
in  the  foreground,  as  his  patrons  demanded, 
the  painter  now  massed  the  men  in  two  dis- 
tinct groups.  Yet  what  the  picture  lacks  in 
coordination  of  parts  is  amply  atoned  for  in 
the  harmonious  scheme  of  colour.  It  is 
Fromentin  who  pronounces  the  final  word 
upon  it  as  showing  “ as  much  taste  as  Van 
Dyck,  as  much  skilful  execution  as  Velas- 
quez, with  the  manifold  difficulties  of  a pal- 
ette infinitely  richer.”  This  was  certainly  as 
near  as  it  was  possible  for  mortal  man  to 
solve  the  insoluble  problem  of  the  large  Dutch 
corporation  picture. 

As  one  reviews  these  four  wonderful  pic- 
tures by  Hals,  certain  common  features  come 
to  mind.  The  decorative  element  in  each 


178 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


case  is  furnished  by  the  gaily  coloured  ban- 
ners, which  are  cleverly  disposed  in  oblique 
lines,  to  unite  groups,  and  relieve  monotonous 
levels.  The  ensigns,  or  standard  bearers,  are 
the  most  conspicuous  and  picturesque  figures 
of  the  groups,  tricked  out  with  captivating 
finery,  and  carrying  their  standards  with  a 
delightful  swagger.  The  commanding  officer 
has  of  course  special  prominence,  though  not 
always  the  most  commanding  personality. 
He  attracts  our  attention,  either  by  looking 
directly  out  of  the  picture  with  an  air  of  im- 
portance, or  by  receiving  the  salute  of  an 
ensign.  The  other  characters  represent  the 
usual  elements  of  such  a company.  The  ar- 
gumentative man  is  here,  punctuating  his 
debate  with  gestures;  the  tedious  story-teller, 
holding  a victim  in  his  toils;  the  humourist, 
with  his  anecdote,  and  the  jolly  good  fellow, 
who  listens,  or  laughs,  or  drinks  a toast,  as 
occasion  demands. 

As  if  hopeless  of  again  equalling  these  mas- 
terpieces, the  next  and  last  military  group  of 
Hals  shows  a decided  retrograde.  This  was 
the  St.  George  picture  of  1639.  where  the 


DUTCH  PAINTING 


179 


figures  are  ranged  in  a monotonous  row  as 
in  more  primitive  work.  Even  so,  the  hand 
of  Hals  is  unmistakable  in  the  vigorous 
heads  and  expressive  countenances. 

The  effect  of  the  five  great  military  pictures 
hanging  together  in  the  Haarlem  gallery  is 
altogether  unique.  It  is  like  entering  a great 
banquet  hall,  full  of  animation.  You  are  met 
on  all  sides  by  the  friendly  jovial  glances  of 
the  revellers.  It  it  as  if  you  heard  the  clink- 
ing of  glasses,  the  sound  of  voices,  and  the 
outbursts  of  laughter.  And  although  the 
spirit  of  hilarity  prevails,  no  unseemly  con- 
duct offends  the  taste. 

The  methods  inaugurated  by  Hals  were  not 
allowed  to  lapse.  Bartholomew  van  der 
Heist,  a painter  of  Amsterdam,  imbibed 
deeply  the  spirit  of  the  Haarlem  master.  He 
was  a generation  younger  than  Hals,  and  be- 
gan his  career  when  the  latter  was  at  his 
height.  The  gallery  at  Amsterdam  contains 
two  large  military  groups,  of  1639  and  1648, 
strongly  reminiscent  of  his  model.  The  sub- 
ject of  the  second  is  The  Banquet  of  the 
Civil  Guard  celebrating  the  Peace  of  West- 


180 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


phalia,  and  the  arrangement  is  borrowed  from 
the  1616  Banquet  of  the  St.  George  Guild 
in  Haarlem.  As  in  the  work  of  Hals,  the 
values  of  the  figures  behind  the  table  are 
somewhat  faulty  for  the  very  abundance  of 
life  which  throbs  through  the  whole  canvas. 
Good  cheer  reigns  supreme : the  captain 

grasps  the  lieutenant  by  the  hand,  as  he 
pledges  him.  The  other  men  fall  to  with  jest 
and  anecdote.  In  the  center,  somewhat  apart, 
sits  the  ipagnificent  being  who  fills  the  office 
of  ensign.  The  giant  throws  one  leg  over  the 
other,  steadies  the  great  flag  over  his  shoul- 
der, and  complacently  meets  the  gaze  of  an 
admiring  audience.  In  his  own  opinion  at 
least  he  is  the  whole  show. 

In  the  meantime  Rembrandt  had  contrib- 
uted to  the  great  military  groups  of  the 
period  his  famous  picture  of  the  Night  Watch. 
This  was  painted  in  1642  for  the  Amsterdam 
Musketeers,  under  the  captaincy  of  Frans 
Banning  Cocq.  The  painter’s  object  was  to 
make  a natural  dramatic  motive  the  basis  of 
the  work.  The  guard  issues  from  their  as- 
sembly-hall in  some  sudden  call  to  action. 


DUTCH  PAINTING 


181 


The  captain  leads  the  way,  giving  orders  to 
his  lieutenant.  The  drum  beats,  the  ensign 
unfurls  the  standard,  the  men  come  out  with 
musket  and  lance ; a dog  scampers  under 
foot,  and  a little  girl  slips  into  the  crowd. 
All  is  confusion  and  action.  In  such  a scene 
it  would  be  impossible  to  give  every  figure 
full  portrait  value.  Some  of  the  figures  neces- 
sarily occupy  insignificant  positions  in  the 
background.  This  was  very  humiliating  to 
the  Musketeers.  They  preferred  the  old- 
fashioned  ways  to  such  startling  innovations. 
They  paid  their  money  for  good  portraits, 
not  for  a dramatic  composition.  Popular 
sympathy  was  with  the  grumblers.  The  pic- 
ture was  in  fact  quite  beyond  the  average 
comprehension.  Rembrandt  had  used  the  op- 
portunity to  work  out  some  problems  of  chiar- 
oscuro which  were  struggling  in  his  mind. 
Absorbed  in  the  wonderful  contrasts  of  light 
and  shadow,  he  was  careless  of  all  else.  He 
produced  one  of  the  world’s  greatest  pictures 
but  he  disappointed  his  patrons.  The  captain 
and  lieutenant  are  the  only  satisfactory  por- 
trait figures  in  the  company. 


182 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


In  the  following  century  the  picture  was 
removed  to  the  Town  Hall,  and  in  order  to 
fit  it  to  a particular  place,  a strip  was  cut 
from  each  end  of  the  canvas.  The  result  is 
a crowded  effect  not  belonging  to  its  original 
condition.  In  the  passing  years  the  accumu- 
lation of  smoke  darkened  the  colour,  until 
it  was  supposed  to  represent  a night  scene. 
Hence  the  incorrect  title  of  the  Night  Watch. 
Since  the  canvas  was  cleaned  in  1889,  it  is 
seen  clearly  as  a daylight  incident,  and  the 
proper  title  is  the  Sortie  of  the  Civic  Guard. 
The  unpopularity  of  the  picture  had  a seri- 
ous effect  upon  Rembrandt’s  professional  in- 
terests, and  brought  to  an  end  the  first  and 
happiest  period  of  his  career. 

Reside  the  large  Dutch  military  composi- 
tions the  smaller  corporation  groups  of  four 
or  five  figures  make  a much  more  amenable 
sub  ject  of  painting.  The  participants  usually 
gather  about  a table  as  if  for  discussion  of 
business.  They  represent  official  governing 
boards,  both  of  men  and  women.  It  is  indeed 
a surprise  to  find  that  women  took  so  impor- 
tant a place  in  these  days  in  the  management 


DUTCH  PAINTING 


183 


of  hospitals  and  charity  organizations.  What 
sensible  and  capable  characters  they  were,  we 
see  in  many  of  these  pictures.  They  take 
their  duties  seriously,  conscious  of  the  impor- 
tance of  their  trust.  Naturally  they  are 
women  in  middle  life,  or  somewhat  elderly, 
the  solid  matronly  figures  of  the  Dutch  mid- 
dle class.  Their  black  dresses,  with  ample 
skirts,  and  their  stiff  white  ruffs  and  quaint 
caps  make  the  material  for  a sober  and  dig- 
nified colour  scheme.  There  are  very  interest- 
ing examples  of  such  works  in  Amsterdam  and 
Haarlem  by  men  of  secondary  importance, 
like  Jacob  Backer,  Joannes  Verspronck, 
Werner  van  Valckert,  and  Dirck  Santvoort, 
men  whose  names  are  so  little  known  to-day, 
yet  who  contributed  a worthy  quota  to  the 
splendid  body  of  seventeenth-century  Dutch 
art. 

A typical  male  group  of  this  class  is 
Pickenoy’s  Regents  of  the  House  of  Correc- 
tion, a picture  of  1628  in  the  Amsterdam 
gallery.  The  appearance  of  the  beadle  with 
a letter  is  the  excuse  for  a pause  in  the  pro- 
ceedings, all  four  regents  looking  directly  out 


184 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


of  the  picture.  The  work  is  admirably  con- 
ceived, but  it  has  the  stiffness  of  an  imma- 
ture hand.  Comparing  with  it  the  Regents 
of  St.  Elizabeth’s  Hospital,  by  Hals,  painted 
in  1641,  we  see  what  the  free  hand  of  a 
consummate  technician  could  make  of  such  a 
theme.  Each  face  is  as  animated  and  ex- 
pressive as  if  actually  speaking.  Over  twenty 
years  later  Hals  painted  two  more  small  cor- 
poration groups,  one  of  men,  and  one  of 
women,  but  his  hand  had  now  lost  its  cun- 
ning. The  brush  once  so  bold  had  become 
incoherent,  and  there  is  much  pathos  in  these 
signs  of  decadence.  It  was  left  to  Rembrandt 
to  achieve  the  perfect  corporation  picture  in 
the  Syndics  of  the  Cloth  Guild  of  1661. 
Nearly  thirty  years  had  passed  since  the 
Night  Watch  had  occasioned  so  much  disap- 
pointment, but  in  this  work  he  vindicated 
himself  in  the  popular  esteem.  The  picture 
is  a miracle  of  infusing  life  into  the  dry 
bones  of  a traditional  composition.  The 
Syndics  appear  to  be  interrupted  by  the  ar- 
rival of  a newcomer,  and  they  all  look  up 
with  a common  impulse.  Every  quality  of 


DUTCH  PAINTING 


185 


greatness  in  a portrait  group  is  here:  fine 
characterization  of  the  individual  heads, 
hands,  and  pose ; unity  and  flow  of  line  in  the 
linear  composition;  harmony  of  rich  colour; 
and  a unity  of  interest,  with  a single  idea 
dominating  the  entire  group.  With  this 
picture  then  we  touch  the  climax  in  the  de- 
velopment of  a form  of  portrait  art  which 
was  the  peculiar  product  of  the  period,  a 
characteristic  expression  of  the  Dutch  genius. 


CHAPTER  XI 


FRANS  HALS  AND  REMBRANDT 

HERE  is  an  old  Dutch  custom, 
holding  even  to  this  day,  of  fasten- 
ing to  the  window  a mirror,  set  at 
an  angle  which  reflects  to  the  occupant  of 
the  room  the  figures  of  the  passers-by.  Had 
Hals  and  Rembrandt  set  up  such  mirrors  in 
their  studio  windows,  at  Haarlem  and  Am- 
sterdam, in  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  fixing  the  reflections  by  some  magic 
process,  the  result  would  have  been  some- 
thing like  the  series  of  portraits  they  pro- 
duced. For  it  was  in  the  life  of  the  people 
that  make  up  the  daily  throng  of  the  street, 
that  they  were  most  at  home.  They  were 
men  of  the  people,  and  it  was  for  the  people 
that  they  wrought  — the  sturdy  middle  class 
who  furnish  brain  and  brawn  (and  money, 
too!)  to  the  nation.  Among  their  sitters  to 

186 


HALS  AND  REMBRANDT  187 


be  sure  were  men  of  learning,  letters  and 
science,  like  Hoornebeek,  professor  in  the 
University  of  Leyden  (Hals)  ; Doctor  Tulp 
and  Doctor  Tholinx  of  Amsterdam  (Rem- 
brandt) and  Herman  Krul,  the  poet  (Rem- 
brandt). There  were  ministers,  too,  like 
Rembrandt’s  Anslo,  and  Hals’  Johannes 
Acronius,  and  minor  artists  like  Berchem 
(Rembrandt)  and  Van  der  Vinne  (Hals). 
There  was  even  an  occasional  admiral,  this 
with  Hals,  or  a burgomaster,  with  Rem- 
brandt, but  this  is  as  high  as  the  scale  reaches. 
No  noblemen  are  identified  among  them,  and 
it  is  needless  to  add,  no  princes  or  crowned 
heads.  For  the  most  part  they  were  mer- 
chants or  burghers  and  their  wives,  like  Rem- 
brandt’s Shipbuilder,  and  Hals’  Nicolas 
Beresteyn,  the  majority  indeed  being  of  too 
little  consequence  for  their  names  to  have 
been  preserved.  A foreigner  is  a rarity,  a 
single  notable  exception  being  Descartes, 
whom  Hals  painted  during  the  French  phi- 
losopher’s sojourn  in  Amsterdam.  Alto- 
gether the  united  product  of  the  two  men 
presents  a striking  contrast  to  that  of  their 


188  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Flemish  contemporaries,  Rubens  and  Van 
Dyck  — this  commonplace  company  of  mid- 
dle class  Dutch  with  that  brilliant  panorama 
of  the  court  life  of  every  country  in  Europe. 
The  course  of  their  lives  was  correspondingly 
diverse,  and  beside  the  constant  journeyings 
of  the  two  great  Flemings,  the  tranquil  pro- 
vincial routine  of  the  two  Dutchmen  affords 
almost  no  material  for  the  biographer.  Nor 
do  the  contemporaries  of  Rembrandt  and 
Hals  appear  to  have  had  much  insight  into 
their  characters.  While  Rubens  and  Van 
Dyck  are  clearly  defined  personalities,  the 
two  great  Dutchmen  are  rather  vague  and 
shadowy  figures.  Something  of  their  char- 
acter  we  may  gather  from  their  portraits. 

Our  best  known  portrait  of  Hals  is  the 
Amsterdam  picture  of  himself  and  his 
second  wife  in  a landscape  group,  after  the 
manner  of  Rubens  and  Isabella  Brandt.1 
The  Dutch  painter  is  a handsome  man  with 
large  well  cut  features,  and  he  has  the  “ open 
countenance  ” which  we  like  to  associate  with 
the  Dutch  character.  He  has  evidently  just 

1 See  page  138. 


HALS  AND  REMBRANDT  189 


cracked  a joke,  and  throws  himself  back  for 
a hearty  laugh,  while  his  wife  joins  good- 
naturedly  in  his  merriment.  A jolly  good 
fellow  this  with  a simple  kindly  nature,  whom 
we  should  not  suspect  of  being  very  pro- 
found. There  is  little  or  nothing  in  the  face 
to  indicate  the  artistic  nature  which  is  so 
apparent  in  the  refined  and  imaginative  like- 
nesses of  Rubens  and  Van  Dyck.  Hals  is 
indeed  reputed  to  have  been  a man  of  con- 
vivial habits,  and  a frequenter  of  taverns. 
Worse  still,  he  was  once  brought  into  court 
for  wife-beating.  Yet  after  the  death  of 
this  unfortunate  first  wife,  Lysbeth  Reyniers 
was  not  afraid  to  make  the  venture  as  his 
second,  and  in  this  picture  appears  to  find 
her  husband  a very  agreeable  companion. 
They  lived  together  nearly  fifty  years,  and 
had  a large  family. 

The  portraits  of  Rembrandt  extend  over  a 
period  of  forty  years.  No  other  face  has 
been  so  many  times  represented  in  art,  not 
even  that  of  Charles  I or  Philip  IV.1  There 

1 An  exception  is  the  case  of  Bismarck  whom  Lenbach 
painted  over  a hundred  times.  See  page  278, 


190 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


are  fifty  painted  portraits,  or  one  sixth  of 
his  entire  portrait  output,  and  twenty-seven 
etchings  besides.  The  majority  were  made 
merely  for  practice,  and  not  from  any  mo- 
tives of  vanity.  The  painter  took  no  pains 
to  show  himself  to  advantage,  and  often  made 
himself  quite  grotesque,  forcing  a laugh  or 
a grimace  for  the  study  of  facial  expression. 
The  portraits  came  most  thickly  during  the 
early  years  of  his  professional  life,  when 
there  was  most  need  of  technical  training. 
For  instance  there  are  ten  etchings  in  the 
year  1630,  and  seven  in  1631,  and  a dozen  or 
so  painted  portraits  for  the  years  1634-1635. 
Nearly  all  these  early  studies  are  in  costume, 
and  deal  with  the  reflection  of  light  on  vel- 
vet stuffs  and  metals.  The  painter  was  es- 
pecially interested  in  the  shadows  cast  on  the 
face  by  the  brim  of  a head  covering.  So 
we  see  him  wearing  every  conceivable  form 
of  headdress  — the  soft  velvet  cap,  the  wide- 
brimmed  hat,  these  often  with  plume  or 
feather,  the  tall  fur  cap,  the  turban,  and  the 
helmet.  Among  all  these  fantasticallv  dressed 
figures  we  search  in  vain  for  Rembrandt  as 


Cassel  Gallery] 


PORTRAIT  OF  REMBRANDT  IN  COSTUME 


[Rembrandt 


HALS  AND  REMBRANDT  191 


his  neighbours  saw  him,  Rembrandt  as  he 
walked  the  streets  of  Amsterdam.  These 
studio  trappings  are  strangely  at  variance 
with  the  sober  black  clothes  with  stiff  ruffs 
or  broad  flat  collars,  and  the  Puritan  hat, 
which  were  in  vogue  at  that  time.  How 
Rembrandt  would  look  in  the  regulation 
Dutch  attire,  such  as  was  worn  by  the  sur- 
geons of  the  Anatomy  Lesson  and  the  Syn- 
dics, is  left  to  our  imagination.  The  ar- 
tist’s face  is  cast  in  a large  plebeian  mould 
with  irregular  features  and  rather  small  eyes. 
He  was  not  overcareful  to  reproduce  the 
features  accurately,  so  that  we  do  not  always 
recognize  him  in  his  various  disguises.  He 
also  varied  constantly  the  treatment  of  hair 
and  beard  so  that  we  are  still  in  the  dark  as  to 
whether  Rembrandt’s  own  hair  was  long  or 
short,  scanty  or  abundant,  bushy,  curly  or 
straight.  We  feel  reasonably  sure  that  he 
was  a kindly  and  candid  person  and  pos- 
sessed of  a somewhat  independent  spirit,  with 
a proper  opinion  of  his  own  merits.  Yet  who 
could  find  in  his  face  the  indications  of  a 
visionary?  The  keen  observing  eye  of  the 


192 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


artist  is,  however,  now  and  then  apparent, 
as  in  one  of  the  Louvre  portraits  (with  head 
uncovered).  He  is  almost  always  very  seri- 
ous, except  when  forcing  a laugh  for  strictly 
professional  purposes.  Apparently  he  was 
quite  the  opposite  of  the  light  hearted  Hals. 
The  most  satisfactory  portraits  are  from  his 
youth  and  his  old  age.  At  Fenway  Court, 
Boston,  is  a most  delightful  portrait  of  the 
young  artist  on  the  threshold  of  his  career. 
There  is  an  irresistible  charm  in  the  frank, 
ingenuous  face  looking  out  so  hopefully  upon 
life.  The  face  is  delicately  shaded  by  a pic- 
turesque plumed  hat,  the  work  showing  even 
in  this  early  period  the  magic  touch  which 
was  to  characterize  the  master.  Many  years 
later  we  see  him  again,  stripped  of  studio 
finery,  wrapping  his  mantle  about  him,  as  he 
turns  his  weary  old  face  to  ours,  and  shows 
us  in  his  careworn  expression  something  of 
the  conflicts  of  a life  of  profound  experience. 

The  fame  of  Rembrandt’s  wife  Saskia  is 
second  only  to  that  of  Helena  Fourment  in 
the  annals  of  artists’  biography.  He  was 
married  in  1632  at  the  beginning  of  his  career 


HALS  AND  REMBRANDT  193 


in  Amsterdam,  and  for  ten  happy  years  this 
amiable  girl  was  the  light  of  his  home.  There 
are  many  pictures  to  show  the  artist’s  delight 
in  his  bride.  She  was  no  such  beauty  as 
Rubens’s  Helena,  with  a round  blunt  nose  and 
small  eyes;  but  she  had  the  charm  of  youth 
and  a pleasant,  cheerful  smile.  It  was  in- 
deed chiefly  as  a model  that  Rembrandt 
painted  her,  using  her  face,  as  he  used  his 
own,  for  the  perfecting  of  his  skill,  rather 
than  for  the  proper  purposes  of  portraiture. 
The  most  attractive  picture  is  the  betrothal 
portrait  of  the  Cassel  gallery,  where  the 
flower  in  her  hand  is  the  symbol  of  her  happy 
love.  The  artist  has  loaded  her  with  jewels, 
strings  of  pearls  about  her  arms  and  neck, 
and  in  her  hair.  A rich  velvet  dress  is  worn 
over  an  embroidered  guimpe,  and  a fur  man- 
tle falls  over  one  shoulder.  A broad  brimmed 
hat  with  long  feather  completes  the  fanciful 
costume.  In  such  fashion  the  painter  con- 
tinued to  array  her,  paying  much  more  atten- 
tion to  picturesque  and  decorative  effects 
than  to  the  expressiveness  of  the  face.  In 
fact  it  is  difficult  in  some  cases  to  distinguish 


194  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


the  portraits  of  Saskia  from  those  of  Rem- 
brandt’s sister.  In  the  Dresden  gallery  is 
the  well  known  group  in  which  Saskia  is 
seen  sitting  on  her  husband’s  knee,  while  he 
raises  his  glass  for  a toast.  The  composition 
is  not  very  felicitous,  and  Saskia  looks  more 
like  a doll  than  a live  woman,  but  the  work 
is  a pleasant  record  of  a happy  mood  in  a 
life  clouded  with  troubles.  The  spirit  of  the 
picture  is  really  more  like  Hals  than  Rem- 
brandt. Now  and  again  Rembrandt  caught 
the  picturesque  swagger  which  is  the  special 
charm  of  Hals,  and  vice  versa,  Hals  achieved 
the  serious  dignity  which  was  Rembrandt’s 
forte.  There  are  not  a few  cases  where  the 
two  painters  meet  on  common  ground,  as  in 
their  corporation  pictures  of  the  Regents  and 
the  Syndics.  Nowhere  perhaps  do  they  come 
more  closely  together  than  in  two  portraits 
of  old  women  in  the  Amsterdam  gallery:  the 
lady  of  the  Van  der  Meer  family,  by  Hals, 
and  Elizabeth  Bas,  by  Rembrandt.  Worthy 
compeers  are  these  two,  posed  so  similarly  in 
arm-chairs,  rendered  with  like  fidelity  of  de- 
tail, with  like  power  of  individual  characteri- 


HALS  AND  REMBRANDT  195 


zation,  treated  with  equal  dignity  and  refine- 
ment. 

A field  in  which  Hals  was  unapproached 
was  in  studies  of  genre  life.  Loitering  about 
the  market  and  taverns,  he  loved  to  watch  the 
happy-go-lucky  fives  of  the  common  people. 
Hille  Bobbe,  the  fish-wife  of  Haarlem,  was 
a favourite  model,  a toothless  old  hag,  re- 
puted to  be  a witch.  Her  fish-stand  was  a 
gathering  place  for  idlers  who  delighted  in 
bandying  jokes  with  her.  Hals  liked  noth- 
ing better  than  to  loosen  her  sharp  tongue 
with  a tankard  of  ale,  and,  when  the  climax 
of  the  tale  was  reached,  sketch  the  grotesque 
old  face  so  contorted  with  merriment  that  one 
can  fairly  hear  the  old  beldame’s  shrill  cackle 
of  laughter.  The  itinerant  musician  was  an- 
other hobby  of  Hals.  One  recalls  the  flute 
player  of  Schwerin,  grinning  at  us  in  a pause 
between  notes,  the  lute  player  of  Amsterdam 
making  eyes  at  some  imaginary  siren  in 
mocking  imitation  of  a cavalier;  the  two 
touching  little  fellows  with  a mandolin,  in 
the  Cassel  gallery,  and  the  pretty  boy  singer 
of  Berlin. 


196 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Another  street  study  is  the  charming  Bo- 
hemienne,  of  the  Louvre,  with  her  sly  side- 
long glance,  from  beneath  her  half  closed 
eyes.  The  Jolly  Man,  at  Amsterdam,  and  the 
Young  Man  with  Slouch  Hat,  at  Cassel,  with 
the  maudlin  toper  in  the  same  gallery,  are 
familiar  examples  of  the  hilarious  mood  which 
Hals  knew  so  well  how  to  represent.  Such 
heads  have  many  counterparts  in  the  large 
military  groups.  Spontaneous  hilarity  like 
this  was  quite  foreign  to  the  nature  of  Rem- 
brandt, though  he  might  sometimes  try  to  sim- 
ulate it.  Instead  of  the  jovial  tavern  loungers 
of  Hals,  he  took  by  preference  some  Jewish 
beggar  and  transformed  him  into  a wistful 
philosopher,  a melancholy  exile,  or  a medi- 
tative apostle,  whose  yearning  eyes  reveal 
the  pathos  of  a lonely  soul. 

Hals  was  a wizard  in  catching  an  expres- 
sion as  elusive  as  thought.  The  portrait  of 
the  Wallace  collection,  so  inaptly  called  the 
“ Laughing  Cavalier,”  is  a fascinating  study 
in  the  dawning  of  a smile.  The  Smoker  of 
the  Metropolitan  Museum  is  catching  our  eye 
to  share  the  little  joke  which  has  set  his  com- 


Louvre,  Paris] 


[Frans  Hals 


THE  BOHEMIAN  GIRL 


HALS  AND  REMBRANDT  197 


panion  to  laughing.  The  unknown  gentle- 
man of  Frankfort  has  just  the  suspicion  of 
a kindly  twinkle  in  his  eyes,  and  the  pompous 
admiral  of  St.  Petersburg  is  about  to  utter 
a pleasant  repartee.  The  irresistible  Ilpen- 
stein  baby  is  unmatched  in  child  portraiture. 
The  round  little  face  is  fairly  rippling  with 
laughter.  A long  range  is  thus  illustrated  in 
the  work  of  Hals,  from  the  coarse  jest  and 
shrill  laughter  of  the  old  witch  Hille  Bobbe, 
and  the  noisy  hilarity  of  the  tavern  brawler 
or  soldier,  to  the  bubbling  merriment  of  an 
innocent  baby. 

The  born  humourist  has  always  much  to 
suffer  from  those  who  refuse  to  take  him  seri- 
ously. Hals  excelled  so  strikingly  in  the  de- 
lineation of  jovial  types  that  many  are  un- 
aware of  the  number  and  merit  of  his  more 
dignified  portraits.  Some  of  these  are  espe- 
cially strong  in  decorative  quality.  The  full- 
length  portrait  of  Willem  van  Huythuysen 
in  the  Lichenstein  gallery  at  Vienna  is  quite 
wonderful  in  this  respect.  The  brocade  dress 
is  rendered  with  great  effect.  As  in  Baby  II- 
penstein’s  dress  Hals  took  his  opportunities 


198  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


to  exercise  consummate  craftsmanship  in  rich 
stuffs  and  delicate  laces.  The  companion 
portraits  of  Jacob  Olycan  and  his  wife  at  The 
Hague  mark  the  high  water  mark  of  dignity 
and  expressiveness  combined  writh  decorative 
beauty. 

Men  and  women  of  all  ages  make  up  the 
full  complement  of  the  long  portrait  list  of 
Rembrandt.  Children  are  rather  rare  and 
are  not  among  the  successes.  They  are  usu- 
ally too  grave  for  their  years.  Youth  did  not 
appeal  strongly  to  the  painter.  Even  his 
beloved  wife  did  not  inspire  his  highest  effort. 
Superficial  prettiness  did  not  interest  him  so 
much  as  character  significance.  In  this  he 
shared  the  spirit  of  the  early  painters  of 
Northern  Europe,  though  differing  from  them 
so  widely  in  his  methods.  For  character  and 
expressiveness  of  countenance  there  must 
needs  be  experience  and  age.  So  the  favourite 
subjects  of  Rembrandt  were  strong  men  of 
middle  age,  and  old  people  of  both  sexes. 

An  extraordinary  performance  for  a young 
man  of  twenty-five  is  the  Shipbuilder  and  his 
Wife  (1633)  painted  with  such  insight  into 


Wallace  Collection,  London]  [Frans  Hals 

THE  LAUGHING  CAVALIER 


HALS  AND  REMBRANDT  199 


the  sterling  worth  of  the  homely  old  couple. 
The  man  turns  about  from  his  table  to  re- 
ceive the  letter  his  wife  brings  him.  Simple 
as  the  act  is,  both  faces  show  that  years  of  ten- 
der devotion  have  knit  the  two  together  in 
perfect  understanding.  It  is  also  in  these 
early  years  that  Rembrandt  painted  the  sev- 
eral portraits  of  his  father  and  mother  which 
have  given  us  a better  understanding  of  his 
parentage  than  of  his  own  individuality. 
What  resoluteness  of  character  is  indicated  in 
the  mother’s  large  mouth,  with  the  thin  lips 
tightly  compressed.  A proud  self-contained 
nature  is  here,  with  grave  eyes,  small  and 
keen  rather  than  poetic.  She  is  a dignified 
and  handsome  woman  whom  we  must  all 
greatly  respect. 

The  portrait  at  Windsor,  and  the  etching 
of  the  seated  figure  show  us  all  this.  The 
studio  pieces  in  the  character  of  St.  Anna, 
and  the  like,  are  not  satisfying  as  portrait 
studies.  Extreme  old  age  softens  somewhat 
the  natural  austerity  of  the  mother’s  character, 
and  when  we  see  her  bent  with  years,  lean- 
ing on  her  cane  (Vienna),  though  dressed  in 


200 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


velvet  and  satin  finery,  as  if  to  conceal  her 
feebleness,  the  withered  face  smiles  with  child 
like  pleasure. 

Rembrandt’s  father  is  not  of  so  stern  a 
fibre.  A plain,  hard  working  miller,  but 
with  the  large  eyes  of  a visionary.  There  is 
no  little  pathos  in  the  face,  as  of  one  in  whom 
fact  and  fancy  were  often  in  conflict.  The 
portrait  with  the  skull  cap,  at  Cassel,  is  one 
of  several  examples,  and  the  portrait  of  the 
Boston  Museum  of  Fine  Arts  is  another. 

One  after  another  the  old  people  of  Rem- 
brandt’s portraits  rise  before  the  imagination, 
the  women  mostly  in  quaint  starched  head- 
dresses, with  big  ear  pieces,  the  men  in  skull 
caps.  In  each  face  we  discern  a distinctive 
personality.  From  the  complacency  of  Eliza- 
beth Bas,  energetic  and  authoritative,  but  not 
unkindly,  we  turn  to  the  gentle,  almost  depre- 
cating smile  of  an  old  lady  in  St.  Petersburg, 
and  from  her  again  to  the  animated  young 
old  lady  of  Captain  Holford’s  collection 
(1645),  turning  her  face  so  alertly  to  the 
right  that  she  seems  about  to  speak.  A very 
unusual  old  lady  is  that  of  Mr.  Havemeyer’s 


Hermitage,  St.  Petersburg] 

PORTRAIT  OF  AN  OLD  WOMAN 


[Rembrandt 


HALS  AND  REMBRANDT  201 


New  York  collection  (1640),  eighty-seven 
years  old,  according  to  the  inscription.  The 
face  is  exquisitely  refined  and  the  mouth  of 
exceeding  sweetness.  The  deep  eye  sockets, 
and  the  depression  of  the  temples  are  beauti- 
fully rendered.  The  old  lady  of  the  National 
Gallery  is  eighty-three,  and  she,  too,  has 
held  her  own  well  through  the  years.  Her 
face,  looking  directly  out  of  the  canvas,  is  a 
perfect  net-work  of  wrinkles.  She  looks  down 
reflectively,  with  an  amiable  smile.  A favour- 
ite model  of  Rembrandt  was  an  old  family 
dependent  whose  portraits  have  often  errone- 
ously been  called  “ Rembrandt’s  Mother.”  1 
She  was  of  peasant  origin,  with  large  hands 
knotted  with  hard  work,  but  in  her  prime 
she  must  have  been  a handsome  woman.  She 
was  a patient  old  soul,  who  had  passed 
through  many  sorrows,  but  had  borne  them 
with  a sweetness  which  has  made  the  mouth 
beautiful,  and  the  eyes  very  tender  and  ex- 
pressive. Between  this  Mother  of  Sorrows 

Michel  (vol.  ii,  p.  77,  of  Rembrandt)  refers  to  five 
studies  of  this  model.  The  writer  has  specially  in  mind  here 
the  picture  in  St.  Petersburg. 


202 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


and  the  Witch  of  Haarlem,  what  a gulf  of 
experience. 

Among  Rembrandt’s  portraits  of  elderly 
men  that  of  Jan  Six  easily  leads.  (Six  Col- 
lection, Amsterdam.)  It  was  the  crowning 
prooi  of  a long  friendship  between  the  two 
men  which  seems  to  have  originated  in  their 
common  passion  for  collecting  works  of  art. 
The  Six  family  had  a country-seat  at  Els- 
broek,  near  Amsterdam,  and  thither  in  1641 
Rembrandt  had  been  summoned  to  paint  the 
mother’s  portrait.  From  thenceforth  he  had 
frequent  intercourse  with  the  son  Jan.  Young 
Six  was  a lover  of  literature,  as  well  as  of 
art,  and  something  of  a poet  beside.  In  an 
etched  portrait  by  Rembrandt  we  see  him  in 
the  days  of  his  literary  activity.  He  leans 
against  a window-ledge  in  his  library,  por- 
ing over  a folio  volume.  The  dreamy  coun- 
tenance, the  graceful  figure,  the  absorbed  at- 
titude, and  the  stately  room,  make  this  one 
of  the  most  fascinating  of  Rembrandt’s  por- 
trait etchings.  It  was  at  about  this  time  that 
the  young  poet  published  his  tragedy  of 
Medea  which  Rembrandt  illustrated  with  a 


HALS  AND  REMBRANDT  203 


magnificent  etching.  Literary  work  led  the 
way  to  various  public  honours  until  at  last 
Six  became  Burgomaster  of  Amsterdam. 
How  the  passing  years  had  dealt  with  him 
we  may  see  in  the  great  portrait.  We  recog- 
nize at  once  the  delicate  high  bred  features 
of  the  etching;  but  the  rapt  face  of  the  young 
poet  is  now  graven  with  the  deeper  experi- 
ences of  life.  It  is  a most  gentle  and  noble 
countenance  of  a French  type,  the  Sixes  hav- 
ing been  Huguenots,  who  took  refuge  in 
Holland  in  the  sixteenth  century.  The  bur- 
gomaster stands  drawing  on  his  gloves,  wear- 
ing a hat  and  a rich  cloak,  as  if  going  abroad. 
The  gracious  inclination  of  the  fine  head,  and 
the  entire  ease  of  the  figure  express  perfect 
distinction.  Among  the  etched  portraits  of 
old  men  more  homely  types  come  to  mind: 
Jan  Lutma,  the  goldsmith,  settled  comforta- 
bly in  his  arm  chair  with  the  complacent  ease 
of  hard-won  success;  Sylvius,  the  preacher, 
weighing  some  theological  dogmas;  Clement 
de  Jonghe,  the  publisher,  with  the  astute  air 
of  the  connoisseur;  the  venerable  “old  Haa- 


204  TOR  TR  A I T P A INTI  X G 


ring,”  official  of  the  bankruptcy  court,  benev- 
olent and  serene. 

Our  study  of  these  characteristic  portrait 
examples  of  Ilals  and  Rembrandt  gives  11s 
the  basis  of  a comparison  between  the  two 
painters.  Rembrandt  was  of  course  a much 
bigger  man,  as  Rubens  was  bigger  than  Van 
Dyck.  An  engraver  as  well  as  a painter,  and 
an  all  around  artist,  as  well  as  a maker  of 
portraits,  he  looms  far  above  Hals  who  was 
exclusively  a portrait  painter.  In  Rem- 
brandt’s sixty-three  years  of  industry  lie  pro- 
duced much  more  work  than  the  more  indolent 
Hals  in  his  long  life  of  eighty  odd  years. 
Rut  in  the  matter  of  portrait  painting  the 
two  rank  together  as  the  highest  exponents 
of  their  school,  hiving  in  a period  which  was 
notable  for  many  excellent  portrait  painters, 
contemporaries  of  Mierevelt,  of  Moreelse,  of 
Ravesteyn,  of  Metsu,  and  of  Gerard  Don, 
they  stand  head  and  shoulders  above  all  the 
great  company.  They  had  several  character- 
istics in  common  which  belong  more  or  less 
to  their  period.  Their  closest  similarity  was 
perhaps  in  the  sense  of  intimacy  which  both 


HALS  AND  REMBRANDT  205 


imparted  to  their  subjects,  each  in  his  own 
way.  There  is  with  them  none  of  that  averted 
gaze  and  distant  air  which  Van  Dyck  gave 
his  sitters.  Their  portrait  folk  look  us  di- 
rectly in  the  face,  and  give  us  their  confi- 
dence. They  are  all  thoroughly  alive. 

In  their  points  of  divergence  they  supple- 
mented each  other  in  realizing  a full  expres- 
sion of  the  spirit  of  the  seventeenth-century 
Dutch  art.  Their  style  of  craftsmanship  is 
quite  dissimilar.  We  recognize  Hals  by  the 
bold  brush-work  which  often  makes  a picture 
quite  unintelligible  at  close  range.  Rem- 
brandt we  distinguish  by  his  wonderful  con- 
trasts of  light  and  shade.  Often  the  defini- 
tion of  a face  or  figure  is  quite  lost  in  the 
shadow.  In  palette,  too,  the  two  men  differ 
characteristically.  Hals  began  with  a wide 
range  of  colours  and  ended  practically  in 
monochrome , with  the  severest  limits  of  black 
and  white.  Rembrandt  from  colder  colour 
grew  warmer  with  the  years,  and  at  length 
his  canvases  took  on  those  golden  or  tawny 
browns,  like  nothing  so  much  as  the  varying 
tints  of  amber.  Hals  painted  his  figures  by 


206 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


daylight,  the  illumination  evenly  distributed, 
Rembrandt  saw  things  in  a “ light  which 
never  was  on  land  or  sea.”  Without  over- 
looking the  many  exceptions  which  in  each 
case  prove  the  rule,  the  general  tendency  of 
the  two  men  lay  in  opposite  directions.  Ilals 
represented  the  material  side  of  life,  Rem- 
brandt the  ideal.  Hals  stuck  to  facts,  Rem 
brandt  was  a poet.  Hals  saw  the  fun  of  life, 
Rembrandt,  its  pathos.  Ilals  caught  the  play 
of  the  passing  emotion,  the  smile,  the  jest,  the 
transient  mood,  Rembrandt  penetrated  the 
deeps  of  character  and  represented  the  abid- 
ing values  of  the  human  soul. 


CHAPTER  XII 


THREE  CENTURIES  OF  FRENCH  PORTRAIT 
PAINTING 

ITH  the  accession  of  Francis  I in 
1516  the  art  of  painting  first  came 
into  prominent  recognition  in 
France.  Travel  in  Italy  had  first  opened  the 
king’s  eyes  to  the  splendour  of  art,  and  he 
had  besides  no  mind  to  be  outdone  by  the 
Emperor  Charles  V in  the  patronage  of  ar- 
tistic talent.  He  invited  several  Italian  paint- 
ers to  his  court,  including,  among  lesser  men, 
the  Florentine  Andrea  del  Sarto,  „ and  the 
great  Leonardo  da  Vinci.  Some  of  these 
remained  many  years,  and  Leonardo  passed 
his  last  days  there,  expiring,  as  tradition  lias 
it,  in  the  arms  of  his  royal  friend.  This 
group  of  Italian  painters  founded  the  so- 
called  school  of  Fontainebleau. 

It  was  probably  early  in  his  reign  that 

207 


208 


PORTRAIT  TAINTING 


Francis  discovered  the  merits  of  a certain 
Jean  Clouet,  a Fleming  then  living  in 
Tours.  The  king  kept  him  busy  till  his  death 
in  1589,  when  the  court  patronage  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  son  Francois  Clouet.  Royal 
favour  made  the  Clouets  and  their  school 
famous.  Their  work  was  almost  exclusively 
in  portraiture,  both  in  drawing  and  painting. 
In  Italy,  as  we  have  seen,  portrait  painting 
had  to  free  itself  gradually  from  religious 
composition,  of  which  it  was  first  merely  an 
accessory.  In  France,  on  the  other  hand, 
portraiture  was  the  first  form  which  painting 
assumed,  since  it  was  the  court,  not  the 
church,  which  gave  it  the  original  impulse. 

The  excellence  of  the  Clouets  seems  the 
more  remarkable  when  we  realize  that  only 
half  a century  of  native  art  lay  back  of  them. 
Fouquet  had  been  the  real  founder  of  French 
painting.  lie  had  made  enough  of  a name 
to  attract  the  attention  of  the  Tope  Eugene 
IV  who,  as  if  there  were  not  better  men  at 
home,  had  called  him  to  Rome  in  1440,  to 
paint  his  portrait.  The  French  painter  had 
lingered  five  years  in  Italy,  drawing  inspira- 


FRENCH  PAINTING 


209 


tion  from  its  art  atmosphere,  then  returned 
to  France  to  make  the  beginnings  of  a French 
school.  The  Clouets  were  the  heirs  of  his 
efforts,  and  brought  French  portrait  painting 
at  a single  bound  into  a position  of  dignity. 

The  respective  characteristics  of  father  and 
son  are  difficult  to  distinguish,  and  the  prob- 
lem is  complicated  by  the  variety  of  names 
applied  indifferently  to  each:  Jean,  Jehan, 
Jehannet,  Jeannet,  and  Janet.  Both  Clouets 
were  accomplished  draughtsmen,  but  while 
the  elder  made  rapid  and  spirited  sketches, 
intended  merely  as  studies,  the  younger  care- 
fully elaborated  his  drawings  as  finished  works. 
The  National  Library  at  Paris  contains 
several  hundreds  of  these  precious  drawings, 
and  there  are  other  collections  in  private 
ownership.  The  Clouet  paintings  are  most 
numerous  at  Chantilly,  and  in  the  English 
royal  galleries  at  Windsor  and  Hampton 
Court.  Francois  outlived  King  Francis  and 
continued  in  office  under  Henry  II,  until  his 
death  in  1572.  Contemporary  poets  vied  with 
one  another  in  extolling  his  gifts,  and  Ron- 


210 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


sard  employed  him  to  paint  an  ideal  portrait 
of  his  lady-love. 

Many  French  celebrities  of  three  reigns 
appear  in  the  portraits  of  the  Clouets  and 
their  school:  Francis  I with  his  long,  crooked 
nose,  small  eyes  and  sinister  expression ; 
Eleanor,  his  queen;  Catherine  de’  Medici, 
dangerously  innocent  looking,  concealing  her 
iron  will  under  an  amiable  smile;  Charles 
IX  (at  Vienna  and  in  the  Louvre)  in  doublet 
and  hose,  with  a rich  cape  and  a plumed  cap, 
graceful  and  princely;  the  nice  little  Eliz- 
abeth of  Austria,  his  wife,  with  her  smooth 
hair  and  pretty  high  necked  dress;  the  Due 
d’Alen^on,  looking  rather  weak  and  effemi- 
nate, but  charmingly  dressed:  Henry  II, 

sombre  and  heavy ; Mary  Stuart,  the  beauti- 
ful English  princess,  in  her  unhappy  young 
widowhood. 

The  Clouets  had  a great  reputation  for 
the  likeness,  and  one  must  believe  that  con- 
temporary judgment  was  right  in  this  mat- 
ter. There  is  a sincerity  in  their  work  which 
is  thoroughly  convincing.  They  seemed  alto- 
gether free  from  the  court  painter’s  common 


Louvre,  Paris]  [Clouet 

PORTRAIT  OP  ELIZABETH  OF  AUSTRIA 


v 


FRENCH  PAINTING 


211 


fault  of  flattery.  Perhaps  their  Flemish 
blood  counted  for  something  in  this  respect, 
modified  by  the  French  influence.  Their 
work  shows  strong  kinship  with  Holbein  in 
frank  realism  and  careful  finish.  Often 
there  is  genuine  psychological  insight  in  the 
portraits  and  sometimes  a peculiar  charm  of 
intimacy. 

The  seventeenth  century  was  not  without 
abundant  products  of  portrait  art  in  France, 
but  the  quality  was  decidedly  inferior  to  the 
quantity.  While  Spain  and  the  Netherlands 
were  uniting  to  make  this  the  golden  age  of 
portraiture,  their  great  names  have  no  worthy 
French  compeers.  The  stamp  of  Louis  Qua- 
torze  was  upon  the  art  as  upon  the  manners 
of  the  time. 

The  spectacular,  the  ostentatious,  the  arti- 
ficial were  the  preferred  qualities.  The  sim- 
ple and  the  natural  were  far  to  seek.  The 
character  of  the  art  was  dominated  by  Le- 
brun, founder  and  director  of  the  Academy, 
and  the  exponent  of  the  pompous  and  the 
theatrical.  The  making  or  marring  of  an 
artist  lay  with  him.  Little  did  he  dream  that 


212  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


future  generations  would  set  his  dreary  his- 
torical compositions  below  the  portrait  work 
of  the  men  to  whom  he  condescended. 

A few  whose  portrait  works  are  worth 
mentioning  are  Simon  Vouet,  who  painted 
Louis  XIII  and  all  the  nobles  of  his  court; 
the  brothers  Le  Nain,  a number  of  whose 
portraits  are  in  England,  and  Santerre,  whose 
chef  d’oeuvre  is  said  to  be  the  portrait  of  the 
Duchesse  de  Bourgogne,  and  who  might  have 
gone  on  painting  beautiful  women,  had  he 
not  been  annoyed  by  the  betises  of  his  sitters. 
Others  with  whom  portrait  painting  was  the 
chief  occupation  were  Mignard,  Largilliere, 
and  Rigaud. 

The  name  Mignard,  French  for  exquisite, 
had  come  to  the  family  in  exchange  for  the 
original  name  of  More,  from  a compliment 
paid  to  the  father  and  uncles  of  the  painter 
by  Henry  IV.  Seeing  the  group  of  young 
men,  — all  officers  in  the  royal  army,  — the 
king  exclaimed,  “ Those  are  not  Mores 
(Moors),  but  Mignards.”  The  name  became 
particularly  appropriate  to  the  character  of 
the  painter’s  work,  which  was  smooth  and 


FRENCH  PAINTING 


213 


graceful,  with  some  affectation.  His  pictures 
of  the  Madonna  were  known  as  mignardes ” 
and  the  verb  mignardiser  ” was  concocted 
from  the  name. 

Mignard  spent  over  twenty  years  of  his 
life  in  Rome,  where  he  painted  the  portrait 
of  many  distinguished  persons,  including 
three  popes.  At  length  he  was  recalled  to 
France  by  Louis  XIV  who  bestowed  com- 
missions and  honours  upon  him.  Ten  times 
he  painted  the  portrait  of  the  Grand  Mo- 
narque.  The  first  of  these  pictures  was  dashed 
off  in  three  hours  and  was  sent  to  the  Spanish 
princess  whom  the  king  was  to  marry.  The 
most  conspicuous  is  the  great  picture  at  Ver- 
sailles, hanging  over  the  mantelpiece  of  the 
Salon  d’Hercule.  It  represents  the  king  in 
armour  on  horseback,  crowned  by  victory, 
after  the  conquest  of  Maestricht. 

Mignard’s  studio  became  a fashionable  re- 
sort for  great  ladies  whose  portraits  he  painted 
with  pleasing  flattery.  He  had  no  mean 
opinion  of  his  own  ability,  and  once  when 
there  was  question  of  his  leaving  France,  he 
remarked,  “ With  these  five  fingers,  there  is 


214 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


no  country  in  Europe  where  I shall  not  be 
more  considered,  and  cannot  make  a greater 
fortune  than  in  France.” 

Largilliere  passed  his  youth  in  Flanders, 
where  he  received  his  artistic  training  from 
Flemish  painters.  He  was  twice  in  England 
where  he  was  in  great  favour  with  Charles  II 
and  James  II.  Returning  at  length  to 
France  he  entered  the  Academy  by  a por- 
trait of  Lebrun.  Thereafter  he  continued  to 
devote  himself  to  portrait  work,  and  his  pa- 
trons included  many  members  of  the  royal 
family.  Fine  examples  of  his  work  are  in  the 
Louvre,  at  Versailles,  and  Chantilly.  He 
was  especially  successful  with  women’s  por- 
traits, imparting  grace  and  dignity  to  his  sit- 
ters. His  colour  is  rich  and  harmonious. 

A warm  friendship  existed  between  Largil- 
liere and  Rigaud,  their  talents  being  too  dis- 
similar for  rivalry.  Rigaud  disliked  to  paint 
women’s  portraits  as  much  as  Largilliere  en- 
joyed it.  “ If  I make  a true  likeness  of  a 
woman,”  he  said,  “ it  is  often  unsatisfactory 
to  the  sitter,  because  not  beautiful;  and  if 
beautiful,  it  is  not  satisfactory  to  me,  because 


FRENCH  PAINTING 


215 


not  true.”  He  was  an  extremely  prolific 
painter,  producing  thirty  or  forty  portraits  a 
year.  His  industry  reminds  one  of  the  Eng- 
lish Reynolds.  He  has  been  called  the  Van 
Dyck  of  France,  and  did  indeed  draw  inspira- 
tion from  the  Flemish  master,  like  him  im- 
parting dignity  and  gravity  to  his  subjects. 
Five  kings  were  among  his  patrons,  and 
many  other  notables.  His  portrait  of  Louis 
XIV  is  considered  the  official  historical  por- 
trait of  the  Grand  Monarque.  The  king 
wears  an  ample  drapery  of  ermine-lined  vel- 
vet, thrown  back  to  show  his  figure  dressed 
in  small-clothes  and  close-fitting  hose.  The 
huge  curled  wig  is  his  crowning  touch  of  mag- 
nificence, and  in  attitude  and  bearing  his 
pompous  character  is  perfectly  expressed.  The 
picture  has  been  justly  called  “ a page  of  his- 
tory, the  history  of  the  man,  the  artist  and  the 
period.”  The  engraved  works  of  Rigaud  in- 
clude two  hundred  portraits.  Ranking  just 
below  Rigaud  and  Largilliere  was  Francois 
de  Troy,  a protege  of  Madame  de  Pompa- 
dour, who  painted  portraits  of  ladies  in  the 
guise  of  goddesses. 


216 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Before  leaving  the  group  of  seventeenth 
century  painters  the  name  of  Philippe  de 
Champaigne  should  be  briefly  mentioned  as 
one  that  is  claimed  in  French  art.  Cham- 
paigne was,  however,  of  Flemish  origin,  and 
did  not  come  to  Paris  till  he  was  nine- 
teen years  of  age.  He  was  among  the 
foremost  portrait  painters  of  the  period,  and 
the  Louvre  contains  over  twenty  of  his  por- 
traits. A famous  one  is  the  three-fold  like- 
ness of  Richelieu,  in  front  view  and  both 
profiles.  All  his  works  have  the  Flemish 
character  of  seriousness  and  noble  express- 
iveness. It  is  more  logical  to  group  him  with 
his  countrymen,  Rubens  and  Van  Dyck,  than 
with  such  men  as  Rigaud  and  Largilliere. 
But  the  French  historian,  anxious  to  make  his 
tale  as  complete  as  possible,  includes  all  for- 
eigners who  ever  sojourned  in  Paris,  and  omits 
no  natives  who  sojourned  in  foreign  lands. 

There  was  no  sharp  transition  between  the 
French  art  of  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth 
centuries.  Largilliere  and  Rigaud  lived  well 
into  the  reign  of  Louis  Quinze,  and  carried 
over  the  artificial  spirit  with  them.  Their 


FRENCH  PAINTING 


217 


successors  were  quite  as  full  of  mannerisms, 
but  with  this  difference:  that  what  was  pom- 
pous and  stilted  in  the  seventeenth  century 
became  pretty  and  insipid  in  the  eighteenth. 
Force  and  virility  were  equally  lacking  in 
both  periods.  If  the  note  of  the  Louis  Qua- 
torze  art  was  set  by  Lebrun,  that  of  Louis 
Quinze  was  given  by  Watteau.  In  portrait 
art  Largilliere  and  Rigaud  were  succeeded 
by  Nattier  and  Greuze. 

In  his  youth  Nattier  was  a zealous  copyist 
of  the  so-called  great  masters.  A drawing 
he  had  made  of  Rigaud’s  celebrated  portrait 
of  Louis  XIV  came  to  the  attention  of  the 
king,  who  remarked:  “ Monsieur,  continue  to 
work  thus  and  you  will  become  a great  man.” 
Nattier  obeyed  injunctions,  and  if  not  a great 
man  according  to  the  broadest  standards,  at- 
tained great  fame  in  his  own  world.  His  first 
important  work  was  in  1715  for  Peter  the 
Great,  Czar  of  Russia.  Summoned  to  Am- 
sterdam to  meet  the  monarch,  he  then  and 
there  made  a series  of  portraits  of  important 
personages  of  the  Russian  court,  culminating 
in  a picture  of  the  battle  of  Pultowa,  with 


218  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


the  czar  as  the  hero.  All  this  work  giving 
immense  satisfaction,  the  painter  was  next 
sent  to  The  Hague  to  paint  the  Empress 
Catherine,  where  again  he  made  a great  hit. 
Before  the  portrait  was  finished,  his  royal 
patroness  praised  it  so  highly  that  the  impa- 
tient czar  ordered  the  unfinished  canvas 
brought  to  him  in  Paris  where  it  was  set  on 
the  throne  of  the  banquet  room  at  a great 
entertainment.  Nattier,  however,  positively 
declined  an  invitation  to  the  court  of  Russia, 
at  which  the  czar  was  so  incensed  that  he 
countermanded  all  orders  then  under  way, 
and  Catherine’s  portrait  was  never  completed. 

It  was  some  years  later  when  Nattier’s  por- 
trait work  first  attracted  the  attention  of 
Louis  XV’s  queen,  Marie  Leczinska.  In 
the  following  years  he  went  through  the  en- 
tire royal  family,  painting  every  member,  the 
king,  the  queen,  the  dauphin,  and  Mesdames 
the  several  daughters,  in  all  the  most  beautiful 
and  creditable  group  of  his  entire  portrait 
output.  The  queen  herself  is  the  most  distin- 
guished of  this  royal  company.  She  was  not 
considered  at  all  beautiful,  but  Nattier  has 


Wallace  Collection,  London] 

PORTRAIT  OF  LADY  IN  BLUE 


[Nattier 


FRENCH  PAINTING 


219 


imparted  to  her  a graciousness  and  charm 
which  are  more  than  beauty.  She  is  seated 
on  a sofa,  the  lustrous  folds  of  her  rich  dress 
spread  about  her,  and  a picturesque  lace  bon- 
net framing  her  face. 

The  patrons  of  Nattier  liked  to  believe  that 
their  portraits  were  excellent  likenesses.  To- 
day, however,  the  wonder  is  that  so  many 
ladies  could  look  so  precisely  alike.  The  type 
of  face  is  as  fixed  as  that  of  Perugino’s  saints, 
with  the  same  oval  outline,  the  round  spark- 
ling eyes,  arched  brows,  and  small  perfect 
mouth.  The  prevailing  fashions  accentuate 
the  sameness.  Every  lady  has  powdered  hair, 
slightly  waved,  drawn  back  closely  from  the 
face,  rouged  cheeks,  spotted  with  court-plaster 
patches,  and  a decollete  gown,  with  a long 
stiff  corset.  There  is  something  very  attract- 
ive in  this  pretty,  smiling  being,  in  spite  of 
her  mannerism.  The  painter’s  touch  is  light, 
his  colour  often  brilliant  and  harmonious,  his 
decorative  sense  fine.  For  subtlety,  characteri- 
zation, and  distinction,  we  must  accept  from 
him  grace,  and  charm,  and  refinement. 
Whether  it  is  a seated  figure,  like  Madame 


220 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Elizabeth  and  Madame  Henriette,  the  twins 
who  were  eldest  of  the  royal  daughters,  or 
half-lengths,  like  Madame  Sophie  and  Ma- 
dame Louise,  the  portrait  is  first  of  all  a 
“ picture.”  Many  of  Nattier’s  sitters  affected 
the  roles  of  Greek  divinities.  Hebe,  Diana, 
and  Flora,  and  the  Vestal  virgins  are  among 
these  lovely  disguises.  The  same  custom  pre- 
vailed in  English  portrait  painting  in  this 
century.1  There  is  indeed  a close  affiliation 
between  Nattier  and  his  English  contem- 
poraries in  his  gift  for  idealizing  womanly 
beauty.  For  the  rest  he  is  too  distinctly  and 
typically  French  to  be  compared  with  the 
English. 

Greuze  was  not  preeminently  a portrait 
painter,  but  there  are  thirty-five  portraits 
among  the  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
works  of  his  scattered  through  the  European 
galleries.  In  addition  there  are  over  thirty 
heads  of  young  girls  painted  as  fancy  sub- 
jects, a kind  of  picture  which  had  a great 
vogue.  For  twenty-five  years  he  was  the 

fashionable  painter  in  Paris.  He  was  made 

1 See  page  267. 


FRENCH  PAINTING 


221 


painter  to  the  king,  and  his  studio  was  visited 
by  all  the  foreign  princes  coming  to  Paris. 
His  style  had  the  prettiness  and  sentimentality 
which  calls  forth  the  admiration  of  the  super- 
ficial. Of  his  own  special  invention  were  his 
story  pictures  of  French  village  life,  rendered 
in  a sort  of  operatic  version.  The  popularity 
of  these  works  was  so  great  that  his  contem- 
poraries did  not  realize  that  he  was  at  his  best 
and  strongest  in  portraits.  In  the  delineation 
of  young  women  and  girls  he  was  too  apt  to 
suggest  coquetry  and  allurement  with  an  af- 
fected innocence,  where  no  innocence  was. 
So  in  his  well-known  portrait  of  the  beautiful 
actress,  Sophie  Arnould,  the  character  of  the 
sitter  is  almost  too  obvious,  as  she  surveys  her 
admirer  with  a lazy  but  seductive  witchery. 
No  such  element  enters  into  English  portraits 
of  actresses.  Occasionally  the  painter  forgot 
himself  so  far  as  to  paint  a child  with  ex- 
quisite naturalness  and  charm,  like  the  little 
girl  with  an  apple,  leaning  on  a window  ledge, 
in  the  National  Gallery.  Among  his  cele- 
brated portrait  subjects  are  Madame  de  Pom- 


222 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


padour,  Louis  XVI,  and  Napoleon  as  first 
consul. 

Greuze  had  an  extraordinary  opinion  of  his 
own  ability.  Pointing  to  his  own  works,  he 
would  say,  “It  is  perfectly  incomprehensible 
to  me  how  with  merely  a few  bits  of  pounded 
earth,  a man  can  put  so  much  life  into  a can- 
vas. Really  if  these  were  the  days  of  myth- 
ology, I should  fear  the  fate  of  Prome- 
theus.” II is  self-esteem  drew  an  ironical  re- 
proof from  the  painter  Vernet,  who  told  him 
he  had  one  enemy  who  would  ruin  him,  even 
though  he  loved  him  to  distraction.  “ And 
who  is  that?”  asked  the  painter,  innocently. 
“ Yourself,”  was  the  reply.  The  painter  out- 
lived his  vogue,  and  had  a neglected  and  lonely 
old  age  lasting  a few  years  into  the  new  cen- 
tury. 

Madame  Vigee  Le  Rrun’s  eighty-seven 
years  were  nearly  divided  between  the  eight- 
eenth and  nineteenth  centuries.  Iler  career 
began  early  in  life,  and  at  fifteen  she  was  con- 
tributing to  the  family  support  by  painting 
portraits.  Her  beauty  and  vivacity  were  no 
little  help  in  her  profession,  and  she  soon  had 


FRENCH  PAINTING 


223 


plenty  of  patronage  from  admiring  young 
men.  Such  patrons  she  cleverly  posed  with 
eyes  focussed  in  another  direction  than  her 
easel.  If  the  sitter’s  glances  strayed  towards 
the  fair  artist,  she  would  call  him  to  task  by 
announcing:  “Now  I am  doing  the  eyes.” 
Her  charm  of  manner  lasted  all  through  life, 
and  made  her  a host  of  friends  in  the  highest 
circles.  At  a meeting  of  the  French  Academy 
La  Harpe  paid  her  an  extravagant  tribute 
which  brought  forth  the  applause  of  the  whole 
audience.  Her  most  characteristic  work  be- 
longs to  the  early  half  of  her  life,  when  she 
was  the  favourite  of  Queen  Marie  Antoinette. 
After  the  Revolution  she  travelled  extensively 
in  Italy  and  Germany,  lived  a long  time  in 
St.  Petersburg,  visited  London,  where  she  met 
Reynolds,  and  finally  returned  to  Paris  under 
Napoleon,  where  she  died  in  1842. 

Beginning  in  her  girlhood  by  copying  heads 
of  Greuze,  she  always  followed  the  tradition 
of  Watteau,  Fragonard,  and  Nattier,  but 
with  more  simplicity  and  sincerity.  She  was 
indefatigably  industrious,  and  was  always  too 
busy  for  self-improvement.  Nevertheless  her 


224 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


pictures  have  the  characteristic  charm  of  her 
nationality:  delicacy,  grace,  and  sentiment. 

She  was  particularly  felicitous  in  pose  and 
grouping. 

Madame  Le  B run’s  portraits  of  Marie  An- 
toinette have  done  as  much  to  keep  fresh  the 
memory  of  the  unfortunate  queen  as  Van 
Dyck’s  of  Charles  I did  for  that  monarch. 
There  were  between  thirty  and  forty  of  these 
pictures,  a goodly  number  of  which  are  still 
at  Versailles.  The  queen  was  far  from  beauti- 
ful, but  the  painter  understood  the  art  of  flat- 
tery as  well  as  her  contemporaries.  She  made 
her  royal  patroness  a pretty  doll-like  creature, 
carrying  her  head  magnificently  as  a queen 
should.  The  rich  dresses,  the  high,  powdered 
coiffure,  crowned  with  the  big  hats  set  aslant, 
as  with  the  English  ladies  of  Gainsborough’s 
canvases,  are  charming  additions.  A beautiful 
composition  is  the  Queen  seated  with  her  three 
children,  the  young  dauphin,  the  eldest  daugh- 
ter, Madame  Royale,  and  the  infant  Due  de 
Normandie. 

After  Marie  Antoinette,  Madame  Le  Brun 
was  her  own  most  interesting  sitter.  She  often 


Bologna  Gallery]  [Madame  Vig6e  Le  Brun 

PORTRAIT  OF  MADAME  LE  BRUN’S  DAUGHTER 


FRENCH  PAINTING 


225 


painted  her  own  portrait,  now  in  a plumed 
hat  with  rolling  brim  jauntily  set  back  upon 
her  curls,  now  in  a broad-brimmed  hat  sha- 
ding her  face,  a la  Rubens’  “ Chapeau  de 
Poil,”  now  in  a white  kerchief  knotted  about 
her  head,  now  in  a turban,  seated  at  her  easel, 
now  in  a Greek  costume,  embracing  her  little 
daughter.  Always  she  is  vivacious  and  ap- 
parently happy,  looking  out  on  life  with  a 
splendid  courage  which  triumphs  over  the 
troubles  of  a disappointed  life.  She  was  un- 
happy in  her  marriage  and  in  the  relations 
with  her  adored  daughter;  but  through  all 
the  vicissitudes  of  a strange  life  she  clung 
bravely  to  her  art.  By  her  own  count  she 
painted  six  hundred  and  sixty-two  portraits, 
and  if  the  work  is  neither  strong  nor  great, 
it  did  her  honour.  As  her  biographer  has 
said,  “ She  is  one  of  the  most  aimable  painters 
of  the  French  school.” 

Much  of  the  French  art  of  the  seventeenth 
and  eighteenth  centuries  was  ephemeral.  The 
product  of  an  artificial  spirit,  it  does  not  in- 
terest a more  thoughtful  generation.  It  is 
on  the  whole  the  portrait  work  which  has  the 


226 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


most  permanent  value.  This  is  the  most  sin- 
cere and  vital  in  intention.  Lacking  the  noble 
elements  of  some  other  schools,  it  yet  holds 
its  own  for  qualities  of  external  beauty  which 
will  never  cease  to  charm. 


CHAPTER  XIII 


VELASQUEZ  AT  THE  COURT  OF  PHILIP  IV 

^ARLY  all  that  makes  for  the  glory 
of  Spanish  history  was  compressed 
within  the  two  hundred  years  be- 
tween the  late  fifteenth  and  late  seventeenth 
centuries.  Spain  was  now  at  her  height,  in 
political  supremacy,  in  commercial  prosperity, 
and  in  the  rise  of  literature  and  painting. 
The  Emperor  Charles  V gave  a strong  im- 
petus to  art  by  his  liberal  patronage,  both  of 
religious  and  portrait  subjects.  How  highly 
he  valued  the  work  of  Titian,  we  have  al- 
ready seen.1  The  splendid  canvases  of  the 
Venetian  which  were  brought  to  Madrid, 
were  in  themselves  a school  of  art  for  native 
painters.  About  1550,  the  emperor  began 
to  employ  the  Netherlandish  painter,  Anthony 
Moro.  This  artist  was  first  sent  to  Lisbon 

1 See  page  64. 

227 


228 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


to  paint  the  betrothed  wife  of  Philip,  and 
afterwards  to  England  to  paint  his  second 
wife,  Queen  Mary.1  Returning  later  to  Spain, 
he  was  here  long  enough  to  exercise  a decided 
influence  on  contemporary  artists.  As  we  see 
in  his  celebrated  portrait  of  Queen  Mary,  he 
had  in  remarkable  degree  the  Netherlandish 
gift  of  expressive  realism.2  Ilis  best  Spanish 
pupil  was  Sanchez  Coello,  who  painted  the 
portraits  of  Philip  II  and  Philip  III,  and 
various  members  of  the  house  of  Austria. 
Coello’s  best  pupil,  in  turn,  was  Pantoja  de  la 
Cruz,  who  was  also  employed  by  Philips  II 
and  III.  With  the  seventeenth  century  we 
come  to  the  new  king,  Philip  IV,  and  the 
new  painter  Velasquez.  While  the  earlier 
art  had  been  shaped  largely  by  foreign  influ- 
ences, especially  the  Italian,  Velasquez  was  a 
bold  and  independent  spirit.  He  has  been 
called  the  most  Spanish  of  Spanish  painters. 

Diego  Rodriguez  de  Silva  Velasquez  was 
born  in  Seville  in  1599.  This  Andalusian 

1 It  will  be  remembered  that  Philip  sent  her  his  own  portrait 
by  Titian.  See  page  U6 

7 One  of  these  portraits  is  in  the  Prado  Gallery  at  Madrid 
another  at  Fenway  Court,  Boston. 


VELASQUEZ  AT  COURT  229 


city  was  at  that  time  the  great  commercial 
port  of  Spain.  Sevillian  merchants  controlled 
the  markets  of  the  old  Mediterranean  ports, 
and  even  those  of  the  north.  The  population 
was  very  cosmopolitan,  but  the  general  aspect 
was  oriental.  Houses  were  built  with  marble- 
paved  courts,  adorned  with  fountains,  and 
furnished  with  objects  of  eastern  workman- 
ship. The  popular  amusements  were  dances, 
feasts,  masques,  and  processions  of  oriental 
nature.  It  was  altogether  a rich,  prosperous, 
and  pleasure-loving  city.  Such  was  the  back- 
ground of  the  youth  and  early  training  of 
Velasquez,  similar  in  many  points  to  that  of 
Rubens  and  Van  Dyck  in  Antwerp,  and  of 
Titian  in  Venice.  Such  resemblances,  how- 
ever, count  for  nothing  when  one  considers 
what  widely  different  types  of  painting  these 
several  men  represent.  The  character  of  a 
genius  has  never  yet  been  explained  by  his 
environment. 

Seville  had  its  local  school  of  painting, 
and  when  the  boy,  Velasquez,  showed  his  bent 
for  drawing,  he  was  placed  first  under  the  in- 
struction of  Herrera,  and  later  of  Pacheco. 


230 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Five  years  of  training  under  the  latter  gave 
him  some  command  of  his  tools,  and  at  the  end 
of  this  time,  marrying  his  master’s  daughter, 
he  set  up  for  himself.  This  was  in  1618. 
Three  years  later  the  accession  of  Philip  IV 
aroused  his  ambition  to  try  his  fortune  in 
Madrid.  Armed  with  influential  introduc- 
tions, he  was  not  long  in  coming  to  royal 
notice.  His  first  order  from  the  young  king 
was  for  an  equestrian  portrait,  an  ambitious 
subject  for  an  inexperienced  young  painter. 
The  picture  seems  to  have  been  a creditable 
performance,  and  gave  the  king  much  satis- 
faction.1 It  was  not  long  after  that  Velasquez 
received  his  appointment  as  court  painter.  A 
studio  was  assigned  him  on  the  ground  floor 
of  the  palace,  a regular  salary  was  attached 
to  the  office,  besides  special  payment  for  each 
work  to  be  done.  All  the  circumstances  were 
favourable  to  the  development  of  his  art.  It 
was  the  boast  of  Philip  to  maintain  the  piety 
of  his  father,  the  statesmanship  of  his  grand- 
father, and  the  warlike  spirit  of  his  great- 
grandfather. To  this  he  might  have  added 

1 The  picture  is  unfortunately  lost,  probably  destroyed  by  fire. 


VELASQUEZ  AT  COURT  231 


the  artistic  tastes  of  his  grandfather.  Like 
Charles  V,  he  was  on  easy  terms  of  familiarity 
with  his  court  painter,  having  access  by  a 
secret  passage  to  the  studio,  where  a special 
chair  was  reserved  for  his  Majesty.  He  was 
not  only  an  excellent  connoisseur,  but  is  said 
to  have  been  something  of  a painter  himself. 
The  king’s  interest  in  art  was  shared  by  his 
minister,  Olivarez,  and  by  many  of  the  court- 
iers. Madrid  contained  at  this  time  not  a 
few  valuable  collections  of  paintings,  and  of 
other  art  objects,  owned  by  genuine  virtuosi. 

It  was  a juvenile  court  to  which  Velasquez 
was  called.  The  king  himself  was  only  eight- 
een years  of  age,  and  his  wife,  Isabella  of 
Bourbon,  but  two  years  older.  The  king’s 
sister  Mary  was  a year  younger  than  himself, 
his  brother  Don  Carlos  a year  younger  than 
she,  and  the  brother  Ferdinand,  a boy  of  four- 
teen. Of  the  queen  we  have  unfortunately  no 
portrait  made  in  these  youthful  days.  She 
seems  to  have  had  an  aversion  to  sittings,  and 
female  portraiture  was  not  sufficiently  fashion- 
able to  induce  her  to  overcome  the  prejudice. 
She  passed  many  years  in  neglect  and  obscu- 


232 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


rity,  and  it  was  not  till  late  in  life  that  the 
king  discovered  her  ability  and  goodness.  Of 
the  king  and  his  brothers,  the  Prado  gallery  at 
Madrid  contains  full-length  portraits  by  Ve- 
lasquez, painted  in  their  young  manhood.  One 
notes  the  strong  family  resemblance  in  the 
long,  narrow  face,  the  large  nose,  the  heavy 
jaw,  and  thick  lips.  The  costume  is  exceed- 
ingly simple  for  royalty,  for  the  king  took 
pride  in  making  some  radical  changes  in  this 
matter  as  soon  as  he  came  to  the  throne.  The 
large  ruff  previously  worn  was  replaced  by 
a wide,  flat,  saucer-like  collar  of  Philip’s  own 
invention,  called  the  " golila  ” The  plain  black 
tunic  and  baggy  knee-trousers  complete  the 
severity  of  the  fashion.  This  serious  scheme 
of  colour  Velasquez  handled  with  great  dig- 
nity, so  placing  his  figures  as  to  increase  the 
impression  of  their  height.  Grave  beyond 
their  years,  with  the  responsibilities  of  their 
position,  these  young  princes  show  the  blood 
royal,  even  in  its  decadence.  The  king’s  pose 
is  formal  and  official,  but  altogether  graceful 
and  elegant.  The  same  boyish,  unformed  face 


VELASQUEZ  AT  COURT  233 


is  seen  in  the  bust  portrait  in  armour  in  the 
same  gallery. 

Don  Carlos  was  the  most  promising  of  the 
three  brothers,  and  his  cleverness  put  the  wary 
Olivarez  on  guard  lest  he  win  too  much  influ- 
ence at  the  court.  His  untimely  death  at  the 
age  of  twenty-five  was  the  matter  of  some 
suspicion.  Don  Ferdinand  left  Spain  in  his 
early  twenties,  to  take  the  regency  of  the 
Netherlands,  after  the  death  of  Albert.1  His 
portrait  here  is  in  hunting  costume,  standing 
in  a landscape,  accompanied  by  his  dog.  With 
this  group  of  pictures  belongs  the  portrait  of 
Philip  IV  in  the  Boston  Museum  of  Fine 
Arts,  painted  at  about  the  same  time,  or  per- 
haps a little  earlier.  The  young  king  here 
wears  a long  gold  chain,  with  the  order  of  the 
Golden  Fleece,  the  only  ornament  to  relieve 
the  severe  simplicity  of  his  dress.  This  pic- 
ture was  acquired  by  the  Museum  in  1904,  and 
after  exciting  wide-spread  discussion  is  ad- 
judged by  the  best  authorities  a fine  and  gen- 
uine work.  From  all  these  pictures  one  sees 
that  Velasquez  began  his  court  life  hampered 

. 1 See  page  136. 


234  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


by  no  spirit  of  flattery.  The  stamp  of  sin- 
cerity is  on  his  work,  and  we  are  convinced 
of  the  resemblance  of  portrait  to  original. 

An  exciting  episode  of  Velasquez’  early 
connection  with  the  court  was  the  visit  of 
Prince  Charles  Stuart  of  England,  as  the 
suitor  of  Philip’s  sister  Dona  Maria.  The 
painter  has  shown  us  this  young  lady  in  her 
most  pleasing  aspect,  in  a portrait  made  a few 
years  later.  She  could  not  dispense  with  the 
family  mouth,  but  for  the  rest,  her  agreeable 
smile,  and  curling  hair  gave  her  a certain 
charm,  while  the  big  ruff  relieved  the  narrow- 
ness of  the  face.  She  is  described  as  of  a 
lively  temperament,  a daring  huntress,  and 
very  charitable  and  friendly.  The  Duke  of 
Buckingham  wrote  to  King  James  of  Eng- 
land: “Without  flattery  I believe  there  is  no 
sweeter  creature  in  the  world.”  The  prince 
was  an  ardent  lover,  and  an  amusing  story 
was  told  of  his  adventure  in  the  garden  of 
a summer-house  whither  he  had  followed  his 
lady.  Having  climbed  a high  wall  in  the  pur- 
suit, he  was  making  straight  for  the  object  of 
his  affection,  when  she  suddenly  spied  him, 


VELASQUEZ  AT  COURT  235 


and  with  a piercing  shriek,  turned  and  fled. 
A court  official  then  warned  him  to  make  his 
escape  on  pain  of  death,  and  the  prince  rue- 
fully took  his  leave.  So  strictly  did  the  court 
etiquette  prohibit  any  kind  of  love-making 
that  it  is  no  wonder  that  in  spite  of  a formal 
betrothal,  the  match  never  came  off.  The  lady 
became  seven  years  later  the  wife  of  King 
Ferdinand  of  Hungary.  It  is  on  record  that 
during  the  visit  Velasquez  made  a portrait  of 
the  English  prince  which  mysteriously  disap- 
peared.1 

Velasquez  had  been  nearly  seven  years  at 
court  when  the  even  tenor  of  his  life  was  in- 
terrupted in  1629  by  the  appearance  of 
Rubens  in  Madrid.  The  Flemish  painter  had 
come  on  a diplomatic  mission  from  England, 
and  remained  nine  months,  as  busy  with  his 
art  as  with  diplomacy.2  He  painted  a number 
of  pictures  for  the  king,  and  made  for  himself 
many  copies  of  Italian  works  in  the  royal  col- 
lection. A great  painter,  an  extensive  trav- 

*Mr.  Frank  Wood  of  Boston  possesses  an  interesting  portrait 
of  Prince  Charles  which  came  from  Spain  and  which  he  not  un- 
reasonably regards  as  the  lost  picture. 

2 See  page  136. 


236 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


eller,  and  a genial  gentleman,  Rubens  brought 
many  new  ideas  to  the  Spanish  court  painter. 
Velasquez,  with  all  his  provincialism,  was  a 
courtier  and  a man  of  parts.  He  could  hold 
his  own,  even  with  such  a man  of  the  world 
as  Rubens.  The  two  became  great  friends. 
Together  they  climbed  the  steep  ascent  of  the 
Sierra  to  make  a sketch  of  the  view.  This 
visit  was  a turning  point  in  the  life  of  Ve- 
lasquez, whether  directly  or  indirectly  through 
the  influence  of  Rubens.  A journey  into 
Italy  soon  after  brought  to  a close  the  first 
period  of  his  career.  The  picture  of  the  To- 
pers, painted  just  before  his  departure,  sums 
up  the  qualities  of  his  first  method.  “ Piece- 
meal realism  ” is  the  phrase  of  a clever  critic, 
describing  this  art.  Every  head  in  the  group 
has  equal  care  and  characterization,  as  in  the 
early  military  groups  of  Frans  Hals.  The 
technique  is  close,  tight,  and  hard. 

The  Italian  journey  covered  nearly  two 
years  and  took  Velasquez  to  Venice,  where  he 
copied  assiduously  Titian  and  Tintoretto,  to 
Rome,  where  he  had  free  access  to  the  works 
of  Raphael  and  Michelangelo  in  the  Vatican, 


VELASQUEZ  AT  COURT  237 


to  Naples,  where  he  painted  the  portrait  of 
Philip’s  sister  Maria,  now  Queen  of  Hun- 
gary,1 and  visited  his  countryman  Ribera, 
thence  home  to  Madrid  in  1631.  For  a period 
of  nearly  twenty  years  Velasquez  now  con- 
tinued at  court,  steadily  developing  his  art. 
A new  sense  of  decorative  quality  was  one 
result  of  the  visit  in  Venice.  He  had  an  op- 
portunity to  put  this  idea  in  practice  in  super- 
vising the  decorations  of  Philip’s  new  palace 
of  Buen  Retiro.  For  this  place  he  painted 
the  famous  Surrender  of  Breda,  the  master- 
piece of  his  second  period.  In  the  centre 
Justin  of  Nassau  presents  the  keys  of  the  city 
to  the  victorious  Marquis  of  Spinola  in  the 
presence  of  a number  of  attendants,  while  in 
the  background  a company  of  soldiers  stand 
with  lances  erect.  The  fine  decorative  en- 
semble, which  is  a harmonious  unity  both  in 
line  and  colour,  is  the  setting  for  the  noble 
study  of  individual  portraiture.  It  was  also 
in  this  period,  with  the  freer  and  broader 
touch,  that  Velasquez  painted  some  magnif- 
icent equestrian  portraits.  The  painter  seemed 

1 See  page  234. 


238 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


to  understand  horses  and  dogs  no  less  than 
humans,  and  the  splendid  creatures  of  his 
portraits  are  alive  in  every  muscle.  The  Span- 
ish horses  of  this  time  were  of  a peculiar 
breed,  rather  small,  but  well-proportioned, 
and  very  swift  and  intelligent.  An  animal 
once  ridden  by  the  king  could  never  be 
mounted  by  another,  hence  the  royal  steeds 
often  grew  heavy  through  idleness.  In  the 
portrait  of  Philip  IV  the  cavalier  is  seen  in 
profile  riding  across  a landscape,  on  a spirited 
rearing  horse.  The  king,  who  was  the  best 
horseman  in  Spain,  sits  as  if  born  in  the 
saddle:  horse  and  rider  are  one.  In  his  fa- 
vourite exercise,  the  monarch  is  roused  from 
his  usual  lethargic  manner  to  real  animation. 
The  cocked  hat  and  full  armour  give  pictur- 
esque charm  to  the  figure,  and  the  whole  com- 
position is  superbly  decorative.  It  is  conjec- 
tured that  this  picture  was  the  one  painted  by 
Velasquez  for  the  guidance  of  the  Florentine 
sculptor  Tacca  in  making  the  equestrian 
statue  of  the  king.  The  equestrian  portrait 
of  Queen  Isabella  was  its  pendant  at  the  en- 
trance to  Buen  Retiro.  The  queen  rides  a 


VELASQUEZ  AT  COURT  239 


white  palfrey  which  ambles  to  the  left,  but 
is  so  nearly  covered  by  the  sweeping  robes  of 
the  rider  that  one  sees  only  his  fore  quarters. 
The  lady’s  face  is  painted  with  extreme  deli- 
cacy, showing  her  beautiful  eyes  and  sweet 
expression  as  her  chief  charms. 

The  Count  Duke  Olivarez  is  the  subject  of 
another  great  equestrian  portrait.  This  am- 
bitious minister  exercised  almost  complete  con- 
trol over  the  weak  king  until  his  downfall  in 
1643.  Having  first  introduced  Velasquez  to 
the  king,  he  regarded  the  painter  as  a protege, 
and  had  several  portraits  made  by  him,  this 
being  the  most  striking.  The  figure  of  the 
horse  fills  the  canvas  diagonally  as  the  animal, 
seen  from  the  rear,  is  about  to  leap  a narrow 
stream.  The  rider  turns  his  head  to  look  over 
his  shoulder,  and  we  read  in  the  haughty  and 
sinister  face  something  of  the  character  of  this 
“ scarecrow  of  kings.”  He  is  dressed  in 
armour,  with  a rich  sash,  and  the  decorative 
character  of  the  piece  is  above  praise. 

While  Velasquez  was  absent  in  Italy,  a 
prince  had  been  born  to  the  royal  family,  and 
in  the  years  following  this  child  became  the 


240 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


painter’s  most  frequent  subject.  The  Boston 
Museum  of  Fine  Arts  contains  one  of  the 
earliest  of  this  series.  Don  Balthasar  Carlos 
is  here  a little  toddler  in  skirts,  playing  with 
a dwarf.  The  child’s  innocent  gravity  as  he 
balances  himself  uncertainly  on  his  feet,  imi- 
tates to  the  life  the  mingled  helplessness  and 
dignity  of  the  growing  baby.  The  painter 
has  also  avoided  the  error  of  over-modelling 
the  features  — a common  pitfall  of  child  por- 
traiture. In  none  of  the  portraits  of  the  boy 
prince  is  the  expression  too  mature  for  his 
years.  Their  charm  is  not  in  prettiness  or  in 
winsomeness,  but  in  their  perfect  naivete.  The 
most  interesting  and  beautiful  are  the  hunting 
piece  and  the  equestrian  portrait,  both  painted 
at  about  the  age  of  six.  The  subjects  afforded 
splendid  material  for  decorative  composition, 
and  Velasquez  rose  to  the  occasion.  The 
youthful  huntsman  stands  by  a tree  in  the 
foreground  of  a mountain  landscape,  and  a 
huge  dog  lies  by  his  side.  His  high  boots  and 
large  gauntlets,  and  the  cap  set  jauntily 
aslant  are  the  principal  sporting  items  of  his 
costume,  and  he  grasps  a gun  firmly  in  the 


VELASQUEZ  AT  COURT  241 


right  hand  as  he  looks  out  of  the  picture  with 
imperturbable  complacency.  A companion 
picture  of  Philip  IV  in  hunting  costume  was 
painted  at  about  the  same  time,  with  similar 
decorative  quality.  As  a horseman,  the  little 
prince  sits  gallantly  in  the  saddle,  as  becomes 
his  father’s  son.  His  beautiful  bay  pony  gal- 
lops forward  with  long  mane  and  sweeping 
tail  flying  in  the  breeze.  The  picture  is  full 
of  joyous  life.  Perhaps  the  last  of  the  por- 
trait series  of  the  young  prince  is  as  a boy  of 
fourteen  standing  in  court  dress.  At  sixteen 
years  of  age  all  the  bright  promises  of  his 
future  were  shattered  by  his  death.  Outside 
the  royal  household  two  striking  portraits  of 
this  period  are  of  the  sculptor  Montanez,  and 
the  Admiral  Pulido. 

In  1649  Velasquez  again  made  an  extended 
journey  in  Italy  to  buy  works  of  art  for  his 
king.  He  revisited  Venice,  Naples,  and 
Rome,  lingering  till  1651.  In  the  Eternal 
City  he  was  honoured  by  the  patronage  of  the 
Pope  Innocent  X,  for  whom  he  made  one  of 
his  most  interesting  portraits.  With  undevi- 
ating adherence  to  nature,  he  did  nothing  to 


242 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


soften  the  ugliness  of  a very  unprepossessing 
face,  or  ennoble  the  expression  of  an  ignoble 
character.  The  work  is  so  strong  in  realism 
that  a photograph  from  the  painting  produces 
the  same  effect  as  if  directly  from  life.  Dur- 
ing his  visit  in  Rome,  Velasquez  discussed 
with  Salvator  Rosa  the  merits  of  the  Italian 
masters.  Raphael,  it  appears,  did  not  please 
him  at  all,  but  he  gave  first  place  to  the  Vene- 
tians. “ It  is  Titian,”  he  said,  “ that  bears  the 
banner.” 

Upon  his  return  to  Madrid  Velasquez  en- 
tered upon  what  is  called  his  third  manner  of 
painting.  This  is  to  a certain  extent  a method 
of  impressionism.  With  extraordinary  facil- 
ity for  reproducing  the  relations  of  tones,  he 
painted  the  object  surrounded  by  light  and 
air.  The  king,  after  several  years  of  widower- 
hood,  had  now  taken  as  his  second  wife,  his 
niece,  Mariana  of  Austria,  who  had  been  be- 
trothed to  the  Prince  Balthasar.  The  mar- 
riage was  celebrated  with  great  pomp  and 
festivity.  Triumphal  arches  were  erected  in 
the  streets  of  Madrid  through  which  passed 
the  splendid  procession  of  German,  Flemish, 


VELASQUEZ  AT  COURT  243 


and  Spanish  bodyguards,  followed  by  heralds, 
grandees,  and  their  pages,  and  ladies  on 
horses  and  in  coaches.  The  bride  was  a girl 
of  fourteen,  only  three  years  older  than  her 
stepdaughter,  Maria  Theresa.  Both  girls  sat 
to  Velasquez  for  their  portraits,  wearing  the 
absurd  Spanish  dress,  which  was  the  ugliest 
in  Europe.  High  neck  and  long  sleeves  were 
de  rigeur.  A long-waisted  corset  as  stiff  as 
a coat  of  mail,  and  a hoop  of  monstrous  cir- 
cumference enveloped  the  figure.  The  hair 
was  curled  and  built  up  with  the  addition  of 
silk  and  wool  into  a huge  structure  resembling 
a cauliflower,  and  ornamented  with  ribbons 
and  jewels.  Rouge  was  plentifully  bedaubed 
over  cheeks,  forehead,  ears,  and  chin,  shoul- 
ders, and  hands.  Madame  d’Aulnay,  a 
French  countess  visiting  Madrid  in  1679, 
wrote  of  the  rouge  custom  that  she  ‘ never 
saw  boiled  crabs  more  highly  coloured.”  With 
such  incumbrances  the  fairest  of  maidens 
could  scarcely  be  made  attractive,  and  neither 
Mariana  nor  Maria  Theresa  could  be  called  a 
beauty.  Yet  such  was  the  magic  of  Velasquez’ 
technique,  that  he  has  made  a masterpiece  even 


244  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 

of  the  painting  of  a ridiculous  costume. 
Mariana  is  said  to  have  had  somewhat  bois- 
terous spirits  and  found  the  restrictions  of 
court  etiquette  quite  irksome.  In  trying  to 
assume  a proper  regal  gravity  in  her  portrait, 
she  looks  unhappy  and  ill-tempered.  Maria 
Theresa,  on  the  other  hand,  was  of  a lovely 
and  gentle  nature,  pious  and  charitable. 
Velasquez  has  rendered  the  sweet  gravity  of 
her  face  with  great  delicacy.  The  little  lady 
became  in  later  years  the  wife  of  Louis  XIV 
of  France,  and  her  portraits  were  then  made 
by  the  French  court  painter,  Mignard.1 

The  first  child  of  Philip  IV  and  Mariana 
was  the  Princess  Margaret,  at  whose  christen- 
ing Maria  Theresa  stood  as  sponsor.  On  the 
way  to  chapel  a costly  ring  slipped  from  the 
hand  of  Maria  Theresa,  and  as  a poor  woman 
was  restoring  it  to  her,  the  princess  said  gra- 
ciously, “ Keep  it,  God  has  sent  it  to  you.” 
The  baby  Margaret  grew  into  a lovely  child, 
and  became  the  darling  of  the  court  as  the 
Prince  Balthasar  had  once  been.  Her  por- 
traits were  now  in  demand,  and  again  Velas- 

1 See  page  213. 


Louvre,  Parisl 


PORTRAIT  OF  THE  PRINCESS  MARGARET 


[Velasquez 


VELASQUEZ  AT  COURT  245 


quez  caught  on  the  canvas  the  essential  spirit 
of  childhood.  The  little  girl,  in  a lace  dress, 
standing  beside . a table,  is  one  of  these  pic- 
tures, and  another  is  the  half-length  figure 
in  the  Louvre.  The  elusive  charm  of  the 
technique  is  the  despair  of  copyists,  so  light 
is  the  touch  of  the  brush  in  securing  this  trans- 
parent effect.  There  is  here  no  hardness  of 
outline  or  modelling;  Velasquez  had  come  to 
the  height  of  his  skill.  The  climax  of  his 
achievement  was  the  portrait  group  of  Las 
Meninas  (Maids  of  Honour),  of  which  this 
little  Margaret  is  the  heroine.  A plausible 
story  is  told  explaining  the  origin  of  the 
unique  composition.  The  king  and  queen 
were  together  one  day  in  the  studio  giving 
Velasquez  a portrait  sitting.  The  painter 
stood  at  his  easel,  and  on  the  wall  behind  him 
was  a mirror  in  which  the  royal  pair  could 
see  their  own  reflection.  Presently  the  Prin- 
cess Margaret  came  in,  attended  by  her  maids 
of  honour  and  dwarfs.  The  king  was  struck 
with  the  picturesqueness  of  the  group,  and  de- 
sired to  have  the  scene  transferred  to  canvas, 
as  was  accordingly  done.  We  look  into  the 


246  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


room  from  the  standpoint  of  the  royal  sitters. 
The  setting  reminds  one  of  the  Dutch  inte- 
riors at  which  Peter  de  Hooch  was  so  adept 
in  this  period.  The  illusion  is  so  perfect  that 
Gautier  wrote,  “ One  is  tempted  to  ask  when 
standing  before  it,  Where  then  is  the  pic- 
ture ?”  The  figures  are  so  alive  that  they 
fairly  breathe.  It  is  one  of  the  few  pictures 
in  the  world  which  express  a perfect  unity  of 
colour,  line,  definition,  modelling,  and  tone. 
Another  child  of  Philip’s  second  marriage  was 
the  Prince  Philip  Prosper,  a sickly  boy  who 
lived  only  four  years.  A single  portrait  by 
Velasquez  has  preserved  the  memory  of  the 
fragile  little  fellow,  dressed  in  skirts,  with  his 
playthings  strung  on  a girdle. 

The  royal  child  portraits  of  Velasquez  sug- 
gest by  contrast  those  which  his  contemporary, 
Van  Dyck,  painted  at  the  court  of  Charles  I. 
The  outward  prettiness  of  the  Stuart  princes 
makes  them  popular  favourites,  while  the 
Spanish  children  have  only  their  child  nature 
to  commend  them,  and  this  in  some  cases  ob- 
scured by  their  dress.  Everything  in  his  en- 
vironment tended  to  strengthen  Van  Dyck’s 


VELASQUEZ  AT  COURT  247 


leaning  towards  the  pretty  and  flattering, 
while  Velasquez  adhered  sturdily  to  reality. 
Velasquez’s  time  seems  to  have  been  practi- 
cally monopolized  by  the  royal  service,  and 
he  had  no  such  opportunities  as  Van  Dyck 
to  paint  other  patrons.  This  is  especially  re- 
grettable in  the  matter  of  women’s  portraits. 
The  royal  family  providing  him  only  one  such 
subject,  and  that  an  unwilling  sitter  (Queen 
Isabella),  we  wish  the  more  that  some  of  the 
Spanish  beauties  might  have  been  perpetuated 
on  his  canvases.  Even  had  the  king  allowed 
him  time  for  such  work,  it  is  improbable  that 
orders  would  have  come,  as  the  Spanish  hus- 
bands were  notoriously  jealous  and  guarded 
their  wives  in  almost  oriental  seclusion.  An 
English  nobleman  visiting  in  Madrid  was 
attacked  by  a party  of  fifteen  armed  men  for 
merely  daring  to  look  at  a lady  on  a balcony. 
How  dangerous  then  would  it  have  been  to 
admire  a lady’s  portrait.  Nevertheless  at 
least  one  Spanish  beauty  — a nameless  one  — 
lives  for  us  through  the  art  of  Velasquez. 
She  is  the  Lady  of  the  Fan  in  the  Wallace 
Collection,  with  the  wonderful  eyes  which 


248 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


only  Spain  brings  forth.  Velasquez  also  dared 
to  paint  his  own  wife.  Certainly  she  was  no 
beauty,  even  when  we  subtract  the  high 
coiffure  from  her  face.  She  meets  our  gaze, 
however,  with  an  intimacy  of  expression  which 
has  much  charm. 

Court  dwarfs  and  buffoons  figure  in  the  pic- 
tures of  Velasquez  with  an  intense  realism 
whicli  exaggerates  their  grotesqueness.  The 
idiot  “ El  Bobo,”  the  sad-eyed  “ Sebastian,” 
the  grave  “ El  Primo,”  and  the  pompous 
“ Inglese,”  gorgeously  attired  in  court  dress, 
are  of  this  strange  company.  Don  Juan  de 
Austria,  a haggard  old  man,  pathetic  in  his 
forced  jocoseness,  and  Pabillos  de  Valladolid, 
striking  an  oratorical  attitude,  are  among 
others  who  in  a different  way  served  to  amuse 
the  jaded  tastes  of  the  court. 

The  last  portraits  of*  the  king  show  the  natu- 
ral changes  in  the  face  which  Velasquez  had 
studied  so  faithfully  over  thirty  years.  Time 
has  coarsened  the  features  which  were  natu- 
rally so  large.  The  neck  has  thickened,  mak- 
ing the  massive  chin  more  prominent  than 
ever.  The  moustaches  have  grown  to  a fierce 


National  Gallery,  London]  [Velasquez 

PORTRAIT  OF  PHILIP  IV 
(OLD) 


VELASQUEZ  AT  COURT  249 


length,  and  are  turned  up  in  military  fashion. 
The  eyes  have  the  weary  droop  of  advancing 
years  and  disappointed  hopes.  One  of  these 
portraits  is  in  Madrid  and  another  in  the 
National  Gallery.  Through  all  the  changes 
of  the  years  king  and  painter  had  continued 
on  terms  of  harmonious  intimacy.  The  crown- 
ing mark  of  the  royal  favour  was  the  cross  of 
Santiago  which  made  Velasquefz  a knight. 
With  peculiar  fitness  the  usefulness  of  the 
two  men  ended  almost  simultaneously.  Philip 
was  stricken  with  paralysis  in  1659,  and 
Velasquez  died  in  1660.  The  king  lived  on  a 
few  years  and  even  had  his  portrait  painted 
again  by  another  hand,  but  it  is  only  through 
the  art  of  Velasquez  that  he  lives  as  a striking 
historic  figure. 

The  qualities  of  Velasquez  do  not  appeal 
to  a large  public.  He  is  so  simple  that  the 
uninitiated  see  nothing  wonderful  about  him, 
little  dreaming  that  such  simplicity  implies 
great  knowledge.  He  taught  art  how  to  look 
at  nature,  in  order  to  reproduce  faithfully  the 
impression  of  the  natural  object.  He  was 


250  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


absolutely  sincere,  without  evasion  and  with- 
out tricks.  He  never  stooped  to  flattery,  and 
he  did  not  try  to  probe  the  secrets  of  the  mind. 
The  kind  of  subject  set  before  him  did  not 
concern  him,  beautiful  or  ugly,  noble  or  ig- 
noble, man,  woman,  or  child.  He  made  the 
most  of  the  slenderest  resources.  He  was 
sparing  of  colour,  using  only  the  most  severe 
and  stately  schemes.  Of  academic  rules  he 
was  quite  independent:  he  was  a rule  unto 
himself.  He  was  the  first  of  the  moderns,  and 
so  far  in  advance  of  his  times  that  he  is  only 
just  coming  into  his  own.  Several  pictures 
bear  the  painter’s  name  as  self  portraits,  of 
which  the  most  interesting  is  that  of  the  Capi- 
tol, Rome.  This  is  the  face  of  the  man  as  we 
like  to  imagine  him,  with  high  brow  and  fine 
eyes,  courtly,  dignified,  and  sincere. 

NOTE  ON  GOYA 

Once  again  Spain  brought  forth  a great  painter  in  the  per- 
son of  Francesco  Jose  de  Goya  y Lucientes.  Appointed  painter 
to  Charles  IV  late  in  the  eighteenth  century  his  prolific  brush 
served  the  court  in  many  capacities.  In  portraiture  he  has  been 
compared  by  turns  to  Gainsborough  and  Rembrandt,  though  he 
did  not  seek  to  imitate  either,  being  of  audacious  and  independ- 
ent temper.  His  work  is  variable  in  quality  but  there  are  in- 
deed some  remarkable  portraits  among  them,  full  of  vitality, 


VELASQUEZ  AT  COURT  251 


delicacy,  and  fascination.  Like  his  great  predecessor  Velasquez, 
he  painted  his  king  and  queen  in  large  equestrian  portraits.  In 
pictures  of  women  and  children  he  often  attained  exquisite 
charm. 


CHAPTER  XIV 


THE  ENGLISH  PORTRAIT  SCHOOL 

NGLAND  was  the  last  of  the  great 
European  countries  to  develop  a 
national  school  of  painting.  It  was 
Henry  VIII  who  first  awoke  to  the  fact  that 
his  people  were  so  behindhand  in  the  matter 
of  art.  The  contemporary  monarchs,  Charles 
V and  Francis  I,  were  vying  with  each  other 
in  the  patronage  of  painting,  and  he  did  not 
wish  to  appear  any  less  munificent  or  pro- 
gressive than  they.1  He  accordingly  invited 
Raphael  to  his  court,  but  the  favourite  of 
popes  and  cardinals  had  no  mind  to  exchange 
Rome  for  a land  of  barbarians.  A few  lesser 
Italians  were  all  that  the  English  king  could 
attract,  until  he  was  so  fortunate  as  to  secure 
the  services  of  Holbein.  The  German  painter, 
as  we  have  seen,  did  splendid  work  in  Eng- 

1 See  page  107. 

252 


ENGLISH  PORTRAIT  SCHOOL  253 


land  and  aroused  a widespread  interest  in  por- 
trait painting  which  steadily  increased.1  In 
the  following  two  hundred  years  a succession 
of  continental  artists  were  employed  by  Eng- 
lish sovereigns  in  the  practice  of  portrait 
painting.  Queen  Mary  was  immortalized  by 
the  Fleming  Sir  Anthony  Moro,2  Elizabeth, 
by  Lucas  de  Heere,  Mark  Gerard  and  the 
Italian  Zucchero.  King  James  had  several 
Flemings  in  his  service,  Mytens,  Jansens,  and 
Van  Somer.  Then  came  Charles  I with  the 
incomparable  Van  Dyck,  to  be  followed  by 
Charles  II  with  Sir  Peter  Lely  and  Sir  God- 
frey Kneller.  The  English  peerage  had 
patronized  these  artists  liberally,  but  without 
discrimination:  there  was  little  genuine  con- 
noisseurship.  The  fashionable  painter  of  the 
hour  set  the  standard  of  taste.  Lely  in  his 
day  was  reckoned  as  good  as  Van  Dyck,  and 
Sir  Godfrey  Kneller  as  good  as  Lely.  At  the 
beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  pop- 
ular creed  was  “ Shakespeare  in  poetry  and 
Kneller  in  painting.”  This  was  the  state  of 

*See  page  120. 

’See  page  228. 


254 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


affairs  when  the  young  painter  Reynolds  re- 
turned to  London  after  three  years  of  study  in 
Italy  and  ventured  to  introduce  some  innova- 
tions. He  met  at  first  much  opposition,  but 
he  had  not  long  to  wait  for  success,  and  in 
the  end,  as  all  the  world  knows,  he  founded  a 
national  portrait  school  which  is  the  glory  of 
English  art.  With  such  brilliant  leaders  as 
Reynolds  and  Gainsborough,  it  included 
lesser  lights  of  varying  degrees:  Romney, 

Opie,  Hoppner,  and  Lawrence;  with  Barry, 
Beechey,  Etty,  Northcote,  and  Shee,  as 
minor  names.  These  men  were  fortunate  in 
having  a biographer  like  Allan  Cunningham, 
who  was  a sort  of  English  Vasari,  preserving 
the  personalities  of  the  artists  as  well  as  an 
accurate  record  of  their  works,  and  interspers- 
ing his  narrative  with  lively  anecdote. 

Certain  common  tendencies  and  certain 
common  points  of  craftsmanship  unite  these 
men  in  a “ school.”  Some  of  these  may  be 
plainly  traced  to  Van  Dyck,  while  others  were 
the  natural  expression  of  the  spirit  of  the 
times.  For  the  rest  each  painter  cherished, 
not  a little  jealously,  his  own  particular  forte. 


ENGLISH  PORTRAIT  SCHOOL  255 


The  proudest  claim  of  the  school  is  that  it 
developed  the  beauty  of  womanhood  and 
childhood.  Slowly  through  the  centuries,  por- 
trait painting  had  been  working  towards  this 
goal,  but  it  was  the  English,  with  the  most 
beautiful  women  and  children  in  the  world, 
who  first  touched  it.  The  Italian  Renais- 
sance had  produced  much  that  was  beautiful 
in  ideal  types  of  the  Virgin  mother  and  the 
divine  babe.  Leonardo  had  been  the  subtlest 
in  his  portrait  interpretations,  Titian  and  the 
Venetians,  the  most  absorbed  in  bodily  charm. 
Van  Dyck,  though  advancing  upon  his  prede- 
cessors in  the  number  and  interest  of  his  child 
and  woman  portraits,  still  left  much  to  be  de- 
sired. It  could  not  yet  be  said  that  any 
painter  up  to  this  time  regarded  the  woman  or 
child  with  an  understanding  at  all  comparable 
to  that  bestowed  upon  the  man. 

Another  characteristic  quality  of  the  eight- 
eenth-centurv  English  portrait  is  the  anima- 
tion and  cheerfulness  of  the  subject.  Con- 
trasted with  the  gravity  and  dignity  of  the 
people  of  Titian,  Van  Dyck  and  Velasquez, 
this  new  way  was  very  striking.  Before 


256 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Leonardo,  no  portrait  face  had  ever  smiled, 
and  for  a century  after,  the  serious  note  pre- 
vailed. The  seventeenth-century  Dutch  had 
made  the  first  decided  break  from  this  tradi- 
tion. Frans  Hals  in  particular  had  devoted 
himself  to  the  joyous  aspects  of  human  life. 
This  mode  of  treatment,  transferred  from  the 
coarser  and  commoner  subjects  of  his  brush 
to  the  English  aristocracy,  gives  distinctive 
character  to  the  English  school. 

From  Van  Dyck  came  the  noble  air  of  dis- 
tinction which  prevails  in  the  English  eight- 
eenth-century portrait.  Some  of  his  most 
successful  poses  were  borrowed  outright  as 
the  ideal  expression  of  the  princely  bearing. 
From  Van  Dyck,  too,  as  an  inevitable  corol- 
lary, came  the  tendency  to  flattery  which  was 
the  English  painters’  pleasant  weakness. 

Reynolds  himself  led  in  this  direction,  mak- 
ing his  men  “ all  nobleness,”  his  women  “ all 
loveliness,”  and  his  children  “ all  simplicity.” 
Rut  Lawrence  was  perhaps  the  mightiest 
flatterer  of  them  all.  The  commercial  instinct 
was  too  strong  in  this  “ nation  of  shopkeep- 
ers ” for  the  painter  to  resist  the  temptation 


CHILD  WITH  KITTEN 


[Reynolds 


ENGLISH  PORTRAIT  SCHOOL  257 


to  tickle  his  noble  patron’s  vanity.  With  flat- 
tery must  be  coupled  artificiality,  which  was 
the  besetting  sin  of  the  age.  England  indeed 
never  went  to  such  extremes  as  France,  nor 
did  she  produce  any  Nattier  or  Greuze.  But 
portraiture  could  not  reflect  faithfully  con- 
temporary life  without  more  or  less  affectation 
in  attitude,  costume,  and  expression.  The 
greatest  absurdity  perhaps  was  the  craze  for 
allegorical  or  mythological  subjects,  such  as 
prevailed  in  France.  English  gentlewomen 
took  delight  in  posing  as  Hope  nursing  Love, 
as  Diana  disarming  Cupid,  and  as  many  an- 
other classical  divinity  in  a sentimental  role. 
Offsetting  these  idiocies  were  the  family 
groups  like  snap-shots  of  nursery  frolics  and 
garden  romps,  embodying  so  charmingly  the 
joys  of  English  home  life. 

Sir  Joshua  Reynolds  was  particularly  felici- 
tous in  this  direction.  There  seemed  no  end 
to  his  resourcefulness  in  inventing  story 
motives  for  portraits.  A sitting  in  the  big 
studio  at  Leicester  Square  was  an  event  to 
look  forward  to.  Here  was  an  atmosphere  of 
genial  courtesy  which  put  everybody  at  ease. 


258  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


The  painter  had  a genius  for  child  friendships, 
and  was  a capital  playmate.  He  contended 
that  all  the  natural  motions  of  childhood  are 
graceful,  and  watching  his  little  visitors  in 
their  games,  he  caught  many  a charming  atti- 
tude and  gesture.  The  lively  Miss  Bowles, 
skipping  about  the  park  with  her  pet  spaniel, 
suddenly  sees  something  to  attract  her  atten- 
tion, drops  on  her  knees,  clasps  her  dog  in 
a choking  embrace,  and  challenges  the  in- 
truder with  merry  eyes.  Master  Bunbury,  a 
lusty  boy  of  nine,  has  run  himself  panting, 
and  sits  under  a tree  to  watch  with  bated 
breath  some  object  in  the  distance.  Not  less 
appealing  in  their  child-likeness  are  other 
little  folk  who  are  not  quite  so  active,  like 
Frances  Harris  standing  by  a tree  with  her 
hand  on  the  head  of  a big  dog,  and  Penelope 
Boothbv,  the  demure,  crossing  her  mit-envel- 
oped  hands  primly  on  her  lap. 

The  Countess  Spencer,  in  broad-brimmed 
hat  and  lace-trimmed  mantle,  walking  through 
the  glade  with  her  little  son,  calls  the  child  to 
her  from  some  fancied  danger,  and  stooping 
gathers  him  to  her  side,  while  the  tiny  dog  is 


National  Gallery,  London]  [Reynolds 

LADY  COCKBURN  AND  HER  CHILDREN 


ENGLISH  PORTRAIT  SCHOOL  259 


impatient  to  scamper  away.  Mrs.  Payne- 
Gallway,  enjoying  an  outing  with  her  little 
boy,  gives  him  a ride,  clinging  to  her  shoulder, 
“ Pick-a-back.”  The  Duchess  of  Devonshire 
has  had  her  baby  daughter  brought  to  her 
morning  room  for  a romp,  and  seated  on  a 
sofa,  trots  the  little  creature  to  Banbury 
Cross  amid  gurgles  of  laughter.  The  stately 
Lady  Cockburn  gathers  her  three  darlings 
about  her,  the  baby  lying  across  her  capacious 
lap,  while  the  others  try  to  draw  his  attention, 
one  peeping  roguishly  over  his  mother’s 
shoulder.  Reynolds  managed  groups  of  this 
sort  with  astonishing  ease,  though  doubtless 
what  looks  so  spontaneous  often  cost  him  a 
deal  of  thought.  His  sense  of  composition 
was  admirable;  whatever  the  form  which  he 
chose  for  a basis  the  lines  fall  perfectly  within 
his  diagram  without  any  apparent  forcing. 
A just  sense  of  balance  gives  dignity  and  ele- 
gance to  his  style. 

For  extreme  vivacity  the  portrait  of  the 
Countess  Crosbie  has  never  been  surpassed. 
The  lady  comes  hurrying  towards  us  across 
the  lawn,  her  slender  figure  swaying  with  the 


260 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


swift  motion,  her  arm  eagerly  out-stretched, 
and  in  another  moment  she  will  pass  out  of 
the  canvas.  Even  in  seated  figures  Reynolds 
could  convey  the  sense  of  animation,  as  in  the 
Honourable  Ann  Bingham,  and  the  bewitch- 
ing Nelly  O’Brien.  In  subjects  like  Mrs. 
Braddyl  he  suggested  admirably  the  medita- 
tive mood,  in  Kitty  Fisher,  the  pose  of  youth- 
ful insouciance,  and  in  Lavinia  Bingham,  the 
air  of  sweet  timidity.  We  like  to  dwell  upon 
Reynolds’  women  and  children,  because  they 
are  a new  creation  in  art,  but  not  because  he 
was  less  successful  with  men.  It  is  he  who 
has  given  us  the  Johnson  of  Boswell’s  pages: 
ponderous,  uncouth,  untidy,  his  face  distorted 
with  the  force  of  his  argument.  Lord  Heath- 
field,  the  hero  of  Gibraltar,  grasping  the  keys 
of  the  fortress,  embodies  the  indomitable  spirit 
and  the  high  moral  calibre  of  the  English 
soldier.  Lawrence  Sterne,  with  the  wide 
mouth  curved  in  a satirical  smile,  fixes  his 
deep-set  eyes  upon  us  with  his  inscrutable 
glance.  Charles  James  Fox,  Edmund  Burke, 
Goldsmith,  Garrick,  and  a host  of  other  men 


ENGLISH  PORTRAIT  SCHOOL  261 


who  lent  lustre  to  the  reign  of  George  III  live 
again  in  Reynolds’  portraits. 

It  would  be  useless  to  go  on  enumerating 
and  describing  the  portrait  works  of  a painter 
who  produced  two  or  three  thousand  pictures. 
Naturally  they  could  not  be  uniformly  good. 
None  knew  better  than  the  painter  himself  the 
faults  of  drawing  and  technique  into  which 
he  sometimes  fell  through  lack  of  early  train- 
ing. Yet  his  essential  gifts  of  charm  out- 
weighed lesser  things,  and  he  was  the  idol  of 
the  fashionable  world.  In  his  most  prolific 
period  he  had  six  sitters  a day  and  often 
turned  out  a portrait  in  four  hours.  His  un- 
fortunate mania  for  experimenting  in  colours 
wrecked  many  a beautiful  canvas.  From  the 
use  of  pigments  which  were  not  permanent, 
faded  faces  look  out  to-day  which  are  mere 
ghosts  of  their  original  brilliancy. 

As  president  of  the  Royal  Academy,  as 
well  as  in  the  direction  of  pupils,  Reynolds 
had  a great  influence  upon  contemporary  art, 
but  his  best  qualities  have  never  been  dupli- 
cated. Gainsborough  was  his  closest  rival, 
and  though  coming  to  London  late  in  life, 


262 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


when  Reynolds  had  already  been  established 
over  twenty  years,  the  royal  favour  brought 
him  instant  success.  Reynolds  could  never 
quite  forgive  this  encroachment  upon  his  own 
supremacy  until  his  rival  lay  on  his  death- 
bed. He  then  paid  him  a farewell  call  and 
expressed  his  sympathy  in  appropriate  words. 
It  is  said  that  Gainsborough  whimsically  re- 
plied, “ We  are  all  going  to  heaven  together 
— and  Van  Dyck  is  of  the  company.” 
Gainsborough  was  by  no  means  the  all- 
around  man  that  Reynolds  was,  but  he  had 
flashes  of  inspiration  which  the  other  was  in- 
capable of.  Once  and  again  he  might  fail  of 
securing  a successful  arrangement,  but  an- 
other time,  as  a person  entered  the  studio, 
he  would  see  on  the  instant  the  complete  pic- 
ture, and  base  his  work  on  this  sudden  vision. 
Careful  elaboration  could  never  achieve  such 
perfect  results.  In  some  such  way  he  must 
have  conceived  the  incomparable  “ Morning 
Walk.”  A bridal  pair  (Squire  and  Mrs. 
Hallett),  strolling  through  the  park  with  their 
dog,  exhale  the  delightful  atmosphere  of  their 
romance.  The  figures  are  combined  in  a per- 


ENGLISH  PORTRAIT  SCHOOL  263 


feet  harmony  of  line  and  move  forward  in 
rhythmic  unison.  Orpin,  the  Parish  Clerk, 
looks  up  from  the  ponderous  volume  he  has 
been  perusing  with  cheerful  response  to  an 
inquiry  which  the  painter  must  have  caught 
in  the  face  in  some  actual  interview. 

A wonderful  gift  of  sympathy  gave  Gains- 
borough an  insight  into  character  vouchsafed 
to  few.  He  often  discovered  pathos  where 
others  might  have  read  a more  cheerful  story. 
Elizabeth  Linley,  the  “ fair  maid  of  Bath,”  is 
one  of  the  most  appealing  of  his  sitters,  with 
big  dreamy  eyes  and  delicate  features.  She 
was  the  beautiful  singer  who  made  a romantic 
runaway  match  with  the  actor  Richard  Sher- 
idan. The  Honourable  Mrs.  Graham,  stand- 
ing against  a pillar,  richly  dressed,  and 
bearing  the  honours  of  her  position  with  sweet 
dignity,  has  an  air  of  interesting  melancholy. 
Upon  her  death,  in  the  fulness  of  her  young 
womanhood,  her  husband  could  not/ endure  the 
wistful  gaze  of  the  portrait,  and  had  it  hidden 
away  where  it  was  lost  for  half  a century. 
Even  Mrs.  Robinson,  painted  at  the  height  of 
her  career  as  Perdita  when  enjoying  the 


264 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


favour  of  the  prince,  sits  under  a tree,  lost  in 
some  sorrowing  reflections,  as  if  foreseeing  her 
lonely  and  unhappy  end. 

The  famous  Blue  Boy,  seen  in  a black  and 
white  reproduction,  might  almost  be  taken  for 
the  work  of  Van  Dyck,  so  closely  did  the 
painter  imitate  the  graceful  attitude  and  air 
of  breeding  for  which  the  earlier  painter  set 
the  type.  But  with  this  he  united  a sweetness 
and  naivete  which  are  not  of  Van  Dyck.  In 
colour  the  picture  is  from  Gainsborough  s 
own  palette,  which  one  can  pick  out  easily  in 
a multitude  of  his  contemporaries’  works.  The 
pearly  gray  of  his  flesh  tones,  and  the  delicacy 
and  refinement  of  his  harmonies,  especially 
in  handling  blue,  mark  his  peculiar  individu- 
ality. In  poetic  imagination  he  had  no  equal 
among  his  contemporaries. 

The  distinctive  qualities  of  Reynolds  and 
Gainsborough  are  admirably  illustrated  in 
their  portraits  of  the  same  person,  as  for  in- 
stance the  Duchess  of  Devonshire,  the  beauty 
of  whom  Gibbon  wittily  said,  that  “ if  she 
beckoned  to  the  Lord  Chancellor  to  rise  from 
his  woolsack  he  could  not  but  obey.”  Mrs. 


National  Gallery,  London]  [Gainsborough 

PORTRAIT  OF  MRS.  SIDDONS 
(DETAIL) 


ENGLISH  PORTRAIT  SCHOOL  265 


Siddons  was  another  fair  sitter  they  both  por- 
trayed. Reynolds  was  to  paint  the  great  ac- 
tress as  the  Tragic  Muse,  and  it  is  said  that 
on  her  arrival  at  the  studio,  he  led  her  to  the 
chair,  saying  in  his  pompous  phraseology, 
“Ascend  your  undisputed  throne;  bestow  on 
me  some  idea  of  the  Tragic  Muse.”  Where- 
upon she  at  once  assumed  the  position  in 
which  he  painted  her.  It  was  undeniably  a 
histrionic  pose,  as  she  sits  with  head  turned, 
listening  to  the  voices  of  conflicting  emotions, 
the  left  hand  raised  as  if  to  command  silence. 
Nobly  conceived  and  finely  executed,  it  was 
no  wonder  that  Reynolds  was  proud  to  paint 
his  name  on  the  ornamental  border  of  her 
robe,  with  the  gallant  ex/ lanation  that  he 
“ could  not  resist  the  temptation  of  going 
down  to  posterity  on  the  hem  of  her  gar- 
ment.” In  Gainsborough’s  portrait  of  the 
same  year,  Mrs.  Siddons,  the  woman  of  the 
world  in  modish  attire,  sweeps  one  day  into 
the  artist’s  studio,  drops  into  a chair  for  a 
chat  and  is  caught  on  the  canvas  in  all  the 
charm  and  spontaneity  of  her  vivacious  mood. 
Still  another  phase  of  the  lady’s  many-sided 


266 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


character  was  brought  out  by  Lawrence,  who 
painted  her  several  times.  In  the  best  known 
of  these  pictures,  she  is  in  negligee,  and  look- 
ing full  into  her  face,  we  get  a bit  of  the  wear- 
iness, as  well  as  the  sweetness  of  her  mood. 

To  compare  Gainsborough  with  still  an- 
other artist,  we  may  match  his  Mrs.  Robinson 
with  the  portrait  of  the  same  lady  by  Romney. 
In  the  walking-dress  of  Perdita,  muff  and  lace 
bonnet,  she  moves  across  our  vision  turning 
upon  us  a face  full  of  coy  and  piquant  charm. 

Romney,  like  Reynolds,  looked  preferably 
on  the  joyous  side  of  life,  though  not  insensi- 
ble to  the  graver  aspects.  It  was  Emma  Lyon 
whose  buoyant  spirit  opened  to  him  the  wider 
possibilities  of  his  art.  She  was  no  less  an 
artist  than  he  in  her  own  way,  creating  new 
subjects  for  him,  as  the  mood  possessed  her. 
Now  she  is  Circe,  the  enchantress,  working 
her  fascinating  spell  upon  us;  now  a Bac- 
chante, leading  the  sacrificial  kid,  with  a 
hound  bounding  joyously  at  her  side.  Cas- 
sandra, Titania,  Euphrosyne,  Ariadne,  a 
Nun,  and  a Spinner,  are  some  of  her  many 
disguises.  She  could  not  be  ungraceful  if  she 


Wallace  Collection,  London]  [Romney 

PORTRAIT  OF  MRS.  ROBINSON 


ENGLISH  PORTRAIT  SCHOOL  267 


would;  her  face  was  beautiful  from  every 
point  of  view;  and  her  sparkling  eyes  and 
lovely  smile  never  fail  to  captivate  us.  Her 
strange  career  reads  like  an  exaggerated  ro- 
mance of  Balzac.  Beginning  life  as  a ladies’ 
maid,  she  passed  from  one  entanglement  to 
another  till  her  marriage  with  Sir  William 
Hamilton  gave  her  entree  to  the  great  world. 
She  then  passed  out  of  Romney’s  life  for 
further  adventures.  For  nearly  ten  years  she 
had  been  a necessity  to  his  art,  and  his  loss 
was  inestimable.  Not  long  after  her  marriage 
he  broke  down  completely,  returning  to  his 
country  home  and  long  neglected  wife  to  die. 

Romney  is  distinguished  by  the  beauty  of 
his  draughtsmanship,  by  pleasing  colour,  and 
a delightful  pictorial  sense.  Some  exquisite 
groups  of  children  show  a flow  of  line  and  a 
lightness  of  motion  that  could  scarcely  be 
equalled  in  any  school  of  art.  Heads  like  the 
Parson’s  Daughter,  and  Mrs.  Tickell,  and 
full-length  figures  like  Mrs.  Mark  Currie, 
illustrate  the  simplicity  and  directness  of  his 
art.  He  was  not  perhaps  a very  profound 
thinker,  nor  an  artist  of  great  range,  but 


268 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


without  him  English  art  would  have  missed  a 
delightful  element  peculiar  to  himself. 

Of  less  important  names  Opie  is  one  whose 
work  has  stood  well  the  test  of  time.  He  had 
not  the  aptitude  of  some  of  his  contemporaries 
for  women’s  portraits,  and  lacked  both  the 
brush  and  the  tongue  of  the  flatterer.  A 
lady  once  sitting  for  her  portrait  bade  him 
make  her  beautiful.  “ Then,  Madame,  I sup- 
pose you  do  not  want  it  to  be  like,”  was  the 
caustic  reply.  His  men’s  portraits  were 
painted  with  admirable  sincerity,  and  are 
genuine  character  studies  in  the  expressiveness 
of  the  eyes.  Some  of  his  distinguished  sitters 
were  Charles  Fox,  Southey,  and  Mr.  William 
Siddons.  Opie  was  himself  a man  of  the 
typical  artistic  temperament,  subject  to  fits  of 
depression  and  self-disparagement.  His 
modest  success  was  due  to  his  own  merit,  and 
he  made  his  way  without  influence  or  favour. 

Hoppner  had  a great  vogue  for  a time, 
although  his  name  is  now  little  known.  Un- 
fortunately his  colours  have  not  always  stood 
well.  He  painted  the  portraits  of  several 
members  of  the  royal  family,  and  was  con- 


ENGLISH  PORTRAIT  SCHOOL  269 


sequently  sought  after  by  many  persons 
of  quality.  The  names  of  bishops,  dukes 
and  earls  were  in  his  lists,  as  well  as  many 
beautiful  women  of  rank.  In  the  heyday 
of  his  popularity  he  met  a powerful  com- 
petitor in  Lawrence,  who  had  won  the 
favour  of  the  king,  as  Hoppner  had  that  of 
the  Prince  of  Wales.  The  patrons  of  the 
rival  painters  made  two  society  factions,  and 
feeling  became  very  bitter.  Lawrence  had 
however  the  surest  passport  to  success  in  his 
gift  of  flattery.  What  woman  could  resist 
the  temptation  of  having  her  charms  en- 
hanced by  his  magic  brush?  Hoppner’s 
death  in  1810  left  the  younger  man  alone 
in  the  field  for  the  remaining  twenty  years 
of  his  life.  In  1815  he  was  knighted  and 
later  became  the  president  of  the  Royal 
Academy. 

The  story  of  Lawrence’s  life  is  peculiarly 
romantic,  beginning  in  obscurity,  as  the  son 
of  an  innkeeper.  He  was  an  infant  prodigy, 
astonishing  his  father’s  guests  when  about 
five  years  of  age  with  recitations  and  draw- 
ings. At  ten  he  was  supporting  the  family 


270 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


with  his  pencil.  In  the  fluctuating  standards 
of  the  day  he  was  ranked  as  high  as  his  pred- 
ecessors Reynolds  and  Gainsborough,  but 
in  more  modern  criticism  his  true  place  is 
assigned  decidedly  below  them.  In  his 
works  the  artificial  spirit  of  the  age  reached 
its  limit.  “ Lawrence,”  said  the  blunt  Opie, 
“ made  coxcombs  of  his  sitters,  and  his  sit- 
ters made  a coxcomb  of  Lawrence.”  Cer- 
tainly the  affectations  of  his  portrait  person- 
alities is  often  the  first  thing  to  strike  us, 
and  this  is  naturally  more  conspicious  in 
women  than  in  men.  As  Fanny  Kemble 
wittily  said,  “ They  were  fine  ladies,  but 
by  no  means  great  ladies.”  Yet  his  art  was 
preeminently  feminine  in  quality.  Such 
portraits  as  Lady  Blessington  and  Lady 
Gower  are  on  his  highest  level,  and  show  his 
remarkable  insight.  Comparing  them  with 
male  portraits  like  John  Julius  Angerstein, 
and  the  Pope  Pius  VII,  we  see  what  Law- 
rence might  have  been,  had  he  been  strong 
enough  to  resist  the  meretricious  taste  of  his 
environment.  The  captivating  smile  of  the 
clever  and  fascinating  woman,  and  the  genial 


PORTRAIT  OF  LADY  PEEL 


[Lawrence 


ENGLISH  PORTRAIT  SCHOOL  271 


refinement  of  the  philanthropist  have  been 
seized  with  extraordinary  success.  Lawrence’s 
colour  was  often  very  beautiful,  particularly 
in  the  heads  of  children. 

It  is  customary  to  include  in  the  English 
school  the  Scottish  painter  Sir  Henry  Rae- 
burn, who  practised  his  profession  in  Edin- 
burgh. This  semi  isolation  kept  him  free 
from  certain  weaknesses  of  his  contempora- 
ries, and  preserved  the  originality  and  vigour 
of  his  work.  His  style  is  marked  by  a 
boldness  and  simplicity  which  have  linked 
his  name  to  that  of  Frans  Hals  and  Velas- 
quez. His  six  portraits  of  Sir  Walter 
Scott  have  made  the  face  of  the  great  ro- 
mancer familiar  all  over  the  world.  Many 
other  distinguished  Scotchmen  sat  to  him 
and  some  charming  women.  His  portraits 
are  full  of  vitality. 

It  was  during  the  latter  half  of  the  great 
period  of  English  portrait  painting  that  our 
own  early  American  portrait  school  was  de- 
veloped. Our  two  foremost  painters,  Copley 
and  Stuart,  were  a long  time  in  London  where 
they  practised  their  profession  and  enjoyed 


272 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


the  help  of  the  Anglicized  American  Presi- 
dent of  the  Royal  Academy,  Benjamin  West. 
The  mother  country  had  reason  to  be  proud 
of  her  American  art  offspring,  and  Copley 
and  Stuart  proved  solid  names  upon  which 
to  build  the  art  history  of  the  new  nation. 


CHAPTER  XV 


SOME  EXAMPLES  OE  MODEEN  PORTRAIT 
PAINTING 

FTER  long  gazing  into  the  past 
centuries  of  portrait  painting,  it  is 
difficult  to  readjust  the  focus  to 
more  recent  times.  There  is  a tendency  with 
some  critics  to  belittle  the  work  of  the  nine- 
teenth century,  as  compared  with  that  of  the 
great  periods  which  went  before.  On  the  other 
hand  there  is  danger  of  overestimating  the 
prize  winners  of  the  hour.  In  the  matter 
of  mere  craftsmanship  certainly  the  modern 
painter  has  shown  himself  an  adept.  Many 
problems  which  puzzled  his  predecessors  have 
long  since  been  solved.  There  is  an  inex- 
haustible stock  of  types  from  which  to  select 
his  methods.  For  the  rest,  it  remains  for  a 
later  century  to  determine  whether  tech- 
nical acquirement  has  been  matched  by  the 

273 


274 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


higher  gifts  of  imagination  and  insight  which 
characterized  the  old  portrait  masters.  For 
our  present  purpose  it  will  be  sufficient  to  set 
down  in  order  a few  important  names,  of 
several  nationalities,  which  stand  for  distinct- 
ive achievement  in  this  line. 

Paris  has  been  generally  regarded  as  the  art 
centre  of  the  modern  world,  the  great  train- 
ing school  in  the  painter’s  craft.  And  Paris 
has  produced  some  notable  portrait  painters. 
Bonnat  is  a name  revered  by  many  men  of  the 
younger  generation  who  have  come  in  touch 
with  him  in  the  Ecole  des  Beaux  Arts.  He 
is  regarded  as  a fine  draughtsman,  and  a vig- 
orous portrayer  of  character.  Three  of  his 
portrait  works  in  the  Luxembourg  illustrate 
his  best  points:  Leon  Cogniet,  his  master 

Aime  Millet,  the  sculptor,  fftad  Cardinal  La- 
vigerie,  late  primate  of  Algeria.  Masculine 
portraits  have  been  his  specialty:  his  gifts  are 
not  for  the  interpretation  of  feminine  char- 
acter. His  list  of  sitters  includes  some  of 
the  greatest  French  names  of  the  century: 
Victor  Hugo,  Dumas,  Gounod,  Thiers, 
Grevv,  Carnot,  Pasteur.  Puvis  de  Chavannes. 


Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence] 


PORTRAIT  OF  HIMSELF 


[Bonnat 


MODERN  PAINTING 


275 


France  may  justly  be  proud  of  such  a noble 
historical  series. 

Carolus  Duran  is  another  master  beloved 
of  the  art  student  in  Paris.  His  special  dis- 
tinction has  been  in  the  brilliant  use  of  colour. 
Many  beautiful  women  have  lent  themselves 
to  his  art,  and  he  has  distinguished  them 
with  delicacy  and  insight.  His  portrait  of 
his  wife,  La  Dame  au  Gant,  of  the  Luxem- 
bourg, is  a beautiful  full-length  work. 
Fluttering  across  the  canvas  with  exquisite 
grace,  she  pauses  to  glance  at  us  with  an 
enchanting  smile.  M.  Carolus  Duran  has 
paid  one  visit  to  the  United  States  and  has 
had  many  American  patrons. 

With  Bonnat  and  Duran  is  classed  Cabanel, 
each  one  of  the  trio  having  a large  following 
more  or  less  in  rivalry.  Cabanel’s  portraits 
of  women  are  especially  beautiful.  He  is 
known  in  this  country  by  the  fine  portrait 
of  Miss  Catherine  Wolfe  in  the  Metropolitan 
Museum,  New  York.  Benjamin  Constant, 
who  died  in  1902,  was  also  known  in  his  last 
years  for  portrait  painting  though  primarily 
devoted  to  oriental  subjects.  He  had  the 


276 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


honour  of  painting  the  portrait  of  Queen  Vic- 
toria in  1899. 

Paris  is  also  the  headquarters  of  Boldini, 
the  most  widely  distinguished  portrait  painter 
of  the  Italians.  He  has  a very  acute  percep- 
tion of  character  and  imparts  a vivid  sense  of 
animation  to  his  sitters.  Specially  notable 

are  his  portraits  of  the  Princess  Ponialowski, 
and  of  the  German  painter  Menzel. 

Another  Italian  portrait  painter,  at  one  time 
long  in  Paris  is  Vittorio  Corcos,  a native  of 
Leghorn.  He  later  returned  to  his  own 
country,  and  in  1892,  in  Florence,  painted  the 
portrait  of  the  poet  Carducci.  The  recog- 
nized leader  of  the  modern  Italian  school 
was  the  Neapolitan  Domenico  Morelli,  who 
died  in  1901.  Distinguished  especially  for 
his  great  religious  works  he  was  likewise  a 
portrait  painter  of  great  merit.  In  the 
gallery  of  modern  art  at  Turin  is  his  por- 
trait of  the  statesman  Quintino  Sella, 
standing  at  the  ministerial  bench  in  the  sen- 
ate at  Rome.  In  the  same  gallery  is  a portrait 
of  Cavour  by  Gordigiani.  The  well-known 
portraits  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Browning  were 


MODERN  PAINTING 


277 


painted  by  this  latter  artist,  whose  studio  was 
long  a favourite  resort  in  Florence. 

One  of  the  most  important  portrait  paint- 
ers of  the  early  nineteenth  century  was  from 
Germany.  This  was  Winterhalter,  a pupil 
of  the  Munich  Academy,  who  went  to  Carls- 
ruhe  in  1828  and  was  made  court  painter. 
In  1834  he  settled  in  Paris,  and  in  the  follow- 
ing years  painted  many  crowned  heads  of 
Europe:  Louis  Philippe  and  his  queen,  Leo- 
pold of  Belgium  and  his  queen,  the  Emperor 
and  Empress  of  Russia,  Napoleon  and  Eu- 
genie, and  various  members  of  the  English 
royal  family.  A series  of  portraits  represent 
the  present  King  Edward  in  his  boyhood  and 
youth.  The  artistic  character  of  the  work  is 
not  remarkable  enough  to  have  made  the 
name  famous,  hut  in  a period  which  knew  not 
photography  the  portraits  have  served  as  val- 
uable historical  records. 

The  most  prolific  German  portrait  painter  in 
the  nineteenth  century  was  undoubtedly  Franz 
von  Lenbach.  From  humble  birth  (1836), 
as  one  of  seventeen  children  of  a poor  stone- 
mason, he  rose  by  his  own  efforts  to  fame  and 


278  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


fortune,  and  all  the  rewards  of  honour  and 
success.  Throughout  his  life  he  retained 
much  of  the  rugged  and  unpolished  manner 
of  the  class  in  which  he  was  born,  and  was 
often  rude  and  sarcastic  in  speech.  But  his 
tremendous  ambition,  energy,  and  self-confi- 
dence carried  him  forward.  His  later  years 
were  passed  in  a splendid  marble  palace  at 
Munich,  filled  with  treasures  of  art,  and  here 
he  died  in  1903  after  sixty-five  years  of  event- 
ful and  successful  living.  The  roll-call  of 
Lenbach’s  sitters  includes  practically  all  the 
German  celebrities  of  his  day.  Among  the 
most  notable  are:  the  old  Emperors  William, 
and  Franz  Josef,  Theodore  Mommsen,  the 
historian,  Paul  Ileyse,  the  poet,  Bjornsterne 
Bjbrnson,  the  novelist,  Frans  Liszt  and 
Wagner,  the  musicians,  Count  von  Moltke 
and  Prince  Bismarck.  In  Italy  he  made  por- 
traits of  Queen  Margherita  and  the  Pope 
Leo  XIII. 

The  name  of  Lenbaeh  is  indissolubly  asso- 
ciated with  Bismarck.  The  relations  between 
the  two  men  covered  a long  period  of  years 
during  which  over  one  hundred  portraits  of 


MODERN  PAINTING 


279 


the  Iron  Chancellor  were  produced.  The 
painter  had  all  the  privileges  of  an  intimate 
family  friend,  making  frequent  visits  in  the 
prince’s  household,  and  sketching  his  host  in 
any  time  or  place  as  the  fancy  seized  him. 
Seldom  in  the  history  of  art  has  there  been 
such  devotion  on  the  part  of  a painter  to  a 
single  subject.  It  is  like  the  service  of  Velas- 
quez for  Philip  IV.  The  character  of  Bis- 
marck has  been  shaped  for  posterity  in  this 
series  of  portraits.  With  every  variety  of  pose 
there  is  always  the  same  inflexibility  of  pur- 
pose stamped  on  the  face.  Whether  the  eyes 
are  turned  full  upon  you,  or  look  aside  under 
their  shaggy,  beetling  brows,  they  see  every- 
thing and  tell  nothing.  The  lines  of  thought 
in  the  forehead,  the  lines  of  determination 
about  the  chin,  express  the  iron  will  of  the 
man  whom  everybody  feared. 

Early  in  his  career  Lenbach  became  an  ar- 
dent admirer  of  the  old  masters,  and  copied 
many  of  their  portraits.  He  made  it  his  aim 
to  secure  in  his  canvases  the  same  effects  of 
rich,  mellowed,  and  subdued  colour  which 
characterize  these  works  of  past  centuries.  His 


280 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


success  in  this  respect  was  quite  wonderful. 
The  face  of  the  sitter  was  of  first  importance 
to  him;  the  surroundings  were  of  no  account. 
Concentrating  all  his  power  upon  the  charac- 
ter and  expression,  especially  upon  the  eyes, 
he  made  the  countenance  emerge,  as  it  were, 
from  nothingness.  His  forte  lay  with  men, 
and  with  men  of  stern  fibre.  The  solemn  in- 
trospective gaze  of  Mommsen,  the  hard  im- 
penetrable mask  of  Von  Moltke,  the  medita- 
tive aspect  of  Bjornson,  were  subjects  of  his 
own  kind.  The  seriousness  of  the  German 
race  is  reflected  in  his  art.  He  was,  as  a rule, 
much  less  successful  with  women.  The  artistic 
methods  of  Lenbach  were  open  to  criticism  in 
many  respects:  the  questionable  practice  of 
using  photography,  his  careless  draughtsman- 
ship, his  slurring  of  details.  On  the  other 
hand  his  admirers  emphasize,  not  without  rea- 
son, the  intense  vitality  of  his  portrait  work, 
and  the  strong  note  of  psychic  interest. 

In  England,  as  we  have  seen,  portrait  paint- 
ing has  always  been  of  great  importance,  as 
the  branch  of  art  best  understood  by  the  aver- 
age Anglo-Saxon.  In  the  early  part  of  the 


MODERN  PAINTING 


281 


Victorian  reign  Sir  George  Hayter  was  por- 
trait painter  to  the  queen  and  had  the  honour 
of  painting  the  girl  sovereign  taking  the  oath 
of  office.  In  the  following  years  the  royal 
family  have  patronized  a succession  of  paint- 
ers, often  from  other  lands,  and  not  always 
with  much  artistic  discrimination.  Excellent 
portrait  work  has  been  done  by  a group  of 
Englishmen  too  numerous  to  mention,  includ- 
ing Sir  John  Millais,  Herkomer,  Fildes,  and 
Orchardson. 

George  Frederick  Watts  was  in  many  re- 
spects the  most  notable  English  portrait 
painter  of  the  nineteenth  century.  His  works 
show  us  the  best  of  Victorian  England.  In 
addition  to  his  large  number  of  commissioned 
portraits  from  people  of  importance  he  under- 
took as  a labour  of  love  a series  of  representa- 
tive Englishmen,  including  statesmen,  lawyers, 
artists,  musicians,  men  of  letters,  and  divines. 
It  was  in  such  high  company  that  the  painter 
was  most  at  home.  Nature  made  him  a gen- 
tleman of  the  finest  fibre,  a dreamer  of  noble 
dreams,  a philosopher,  and  a thinker.  He 
began  his  artistic  career  as  a mural  painter, 


282  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


and  his  preference  was  always  for  allegorical 
and  decorative  subjects.  Portrait  painting  was 
forced  upon  him  for  commercial  reasons,  but 
he  accepted  it  as  a valuable  discipline,  and  put 
into  it  the  same  imaginative  and  decorative 
gifts  which  inspired  his  ideal  subjects.  He 
had  a peculiar  power  for  interpreting  genius, 
seizing  the  essential  character,  and  accentua- 
ting it  by  the  accessories.  The  rugged  head  of 
Carlyle,  at  once  noble  and  dogmatic,  with  the 
melancholy  eyes  and  aggressive  chin,  the  cold, 
austere  face  of  John  Stuart  Mill,  with  the  ab- 
sent gaze  of  intense  concentration,  the  medita- 
tive pose  of  Tennyson,  rapt  in  the  poet’s 
vision,  express  to  a marvel  the  men  themselves. 
Others  of  this  distinguished  company  are: 
Matthew  Arnold,  with  forehead  creased  with 
lines  of  unrest,  Robert  Browning,  in  all  the 
magnificence  of  his  fully  developed  manhood, 
Rossetti,  almost  childlike,  in  his  look  of 
dreamy  irresponsibility.  Sir  Andrew  Clark, 
with  the  air  of  authority  and  self-restraint 
which  belongs  to  the  man  of  science  and 
secrets.  Motley,  scholarly,  modest,  and  in- 
tensely serious,  William  Morris,  with  Jove- 


MODERN  PAINTING 


283 


like  head  thrown  back  to  confront  the  difficul- 
ties of  art  reform,  and  Lord  Lytton,  hand- 
some and  romantic.  The  delicately  chiseled 
features  of  George  Meredith’s  sensitive  high- 
bred face,  the  long  narrow  countenance  of 
Leslie  Stephen,  with  the  look  of  incisive 
thought,  the  well  cut  profile  of  Walter  Crane, 
lifted  with  the  air  of  inspiration,  remain  with 
one  permanently  as  ideal  types  of  novelist, 
criiic,  and  artist.  Cardinal  Manning  is  also 
among  these  celebrities,  a noble  old  man.  The 
sunken  cheeks,  deep-set  eyes,  and  thin  com- 
pressed lips  are  the  marks  of  the  ascetic,  while 
the  expression  is  that  of  the  mystic. 

A critic  has  cleverly  said  that  Watts 
“ scarcely  ever  painted  a man  without  making 
him  about  five  times  as  magnificent  as  he 
really  was,”  adding  that  the  portraits  made  the 
men  themselves  “ look  like  mean  and  unsym- 
pathetic sketches  from  the  Watts  originals.” 
This  glorifying  process  was  not  because  the 
painter  intentionally  flattered  his  sitters,  but 
because  he  saw  in  them  the  highest  of  which 
they  were  capable.  It  was  by  no  means  a sub- 
jective glamour  which  he  cast  about  them  m 


284 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


the  manner  of  Titian  and  Van  Dyck.  Each 
portrait  shows  what  the  man  “ was  worth  to 
God.”  Five  portraits  of  Tennyson,  majestic 
and  godlike,  attest  the  long  and  devoted 
friendship  between  the  painter  and  the  poet, 
and  certainly  poet  was  never  more  fortimate 
in  an  interpreter. 

Watts  also  showed  himself  a student  of 
character  in  portraits  of  women.  Mrs.  Percy 
Windham  was  one  of  his  most  successful  sub- 
jects, a truly  grande  dame , painted  in  full 
length,  leaning  on  the  balustrade  of  her  gar- 
den terrace.  The  decorative  character  of  the 
panel  is  almost  Venetian  in  beauty.  The  fig- 
ure is  drawn  in  long  rhythmic  lines,  while  the 
mass  of  foliage  behind  the  head  and  the  jar  of 
flowers  on  the  pavement  unite  with  the  green 
robe  to  form  a rich  colour  ensemble.  Mrs. 
Nassau  Senior  was  the  subject  of  another  full- 
length  portrait.  Lovely  in  character  as  in 
person,  the  artist  chose  a felicitous  motive  in 
representing  her  watering  a potted  flower. 
The  rippling  hair  drawn  over  her  ears,  and 
dressed  low  in  the  neck,  frames  a face  of  an- 
gelic sweetness  and  purity.  Mrs.  Hughes  is 


Collection  of  Hon.  Percy  Windham,  Salisbury,  Eng.]  [Watts 
PORTRAIT  OF  MRS.  PERCY  WINDHAM 


MODERN  PAINTING 


285 


another  sweet  spirit  among  women,  gentle, 
placid,  motherly,  comfortable.  Her  portrait  is 
a bust,  with  a distant  landscape  suggested  in 
the  background.  Portraits  of  Mrs.  Leslie 
Stephen,  Lady  Granby,  Lady  Mount  Temple, 
and  Mrs.  Ellice  are  others  which  have  been 
highly  praised  by  critics.  The  academic 
training  of  Watts  was  extremely  meagre,  and 
he  never  attained  complete  technical  profi- 
ciency. Nevertheless  there  are  certain  points 
of  craftsmanship  in  which  he  was  unsurpassed, 
and  in  higher  gifts  of  poetic  imagination  he 
stood  alone  in  his  generation. 

Classed  among  the  English  painters,  al- 
though American  by  birth  and  early  educa- 
tion, was  James  McNeill  Whistler.  No  man 
was  ever  more  original  — or  more  egotistic. 
During  his  life-time,  it  seemed  impossible  to 
hold  middle  ground  in  regard  to  him.  One 
must  either  be  an  ardent  admirer  or  a bitter 
enemy.  His  eccentricities  and  ironies  have 
passed  into  proverbs.  He  divided  humanity 
into  two  classes,  artists,  and  the  rest,  declaring 
that  the  “ rest  ” should  never  write,  speak,  or 
think  about  artists.  Since  his  death  in  1903 


286  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


however  the  “ rest  ” have  taken  upon  them- 
selves to  discuss  exhaustively  his  merits  and  his 
weaknesses;  and  exhibitions  of  his  works  have 
given  a more  complete  idea  of  his  aims  and  his 
methods.  Whether  as  an  etcher,  a landscape 
painter  or  a portrait  painter,  his  name  will 
always  be  of  great  importance. 

Whistler’s  chief  preoccupation  was  with 
colour,  in  the  most  subtle  neutral  tints:  blacks, 
blues,  browns,  and  greys.  Within  this  range 
he  discovered  a countless  number  of  delicate 
gradations.  He  was  indeed  closely  akin  to  the 
Japanese  in  this  fondness  for  low-keyed  har- 
monies. His  portraits  were  painted  with  the 
main  idea  of  making  up  a beautiful  piece  of 
decoration  from  his  favourite  palette.  For 
this  purpose  he  preferred  a full-length  life- 
size  figure  in  a tall  panel  like  a kakemono. 
Often  the  picture  seems  quite  flat,  the  figure 
scarcely  emerging  from  the  background,  which 
is  made  of  the  same  hue  as  the  drapery.  The 
personality  is  thus  rather  ghostly,  not  warm 
and  living.  The  name  of  the  subject  is  imma- 
terial. The  picture  is  the  “ Yellow  Buskin,” 
instead  of  a portrait  of  Lady  Archibald 


MODERN  PAINTING 


287 


Campbell,  or  “ An  Arrangement  in  Black 
and  Brown/’  instead  of  Miss  Rosa  Corder. 
What  matters  it  who  these  ladies  were  who 
lent  their  figures  as  motives  for  a decorative 
design?  Their  portraits,  however,  have  be- 
come famous  among  the  painter’s  finest  works. 

The  patron  who  accepted  the  Whistlerian 
point  of  view  was  rewarded  for  his  pains  and 
his  money  by  a beautiful  work  of  art.  He 
was  sure  of  a picture  whose  subdued  colour 
harmony  would  never  jar,  and  would  always 
be  restful.  Characterization  and  vitality  might 
be  lacking,  but  in  their  place  a certain  fine 
distinction  could  be  counted  on.  Such  refine- 
ment in  colour  must  inevitably  impart  refine- 
ment to  the  subject. 

Whistler’s  first  important  portrait  work  was 
the  “ White  Girl,”  rejected  by  the  Paris  Salon 
(1868),  but  creating  a great  stir  when  ex- 
hibited in  the  Salon  des  Refuses.  A girl 
dressed  in  white  was  seen  standing  against 
a white  background  with  a white  lily  in  her 
hand.  A second  study  in  the  same  key  was 
the  Little  White  Girl.  Here  a young  girl  in 
white  is  standing  on  a white  rug  before  a fire- 


288  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


place.  The  face,  outlined  in  profile,  is  re- 
flected in  full  front  in  the  mirror  over  the 
mantle.  This  was  the  picture  which  inspired 
Swinburne’s  poem  “ Before  the  Mirror,” 
which  was  printed  on  strips  of  gilded  paper 
and  fastened  to  the  frame  of  the  picture.  A 
third  Symphony  in  White  was  a composition 
of  two  girls  in  white ; one  lounging  on  a 
couch,  the  other  seated  on  the  floor  leaning 
against  it.  Graceful  young  figures  such  as 
these  lent  themselves  readily  to  Whistler’s 
motives,  but  he  had  wonderful  versatility  in 
adapting  to  his  ends  sitters  of  every  age.  He 
was  remarkably  successful  with  children. 

Miss  Alexander  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
child  portraits  in  the  world.  The  little  maid, 
in  short  stiff  white  frock,  stands  in  a dancing 
school  pose,  hat  in  hand,  looking  out  at  the 
spectator.  Two  yellow  butterflies  flutter 
above  her,  not  more  airy  and  evanescent  than 
the  dainty  little  creature  herself,  poised  as  if  to 
fly  from  the  field  of  vision.  The  Rose  of 
Lyme,  the  frail  wide-eyed  little  girl  of  the 
Boston  Art  Museum,  looking  out  at  us  with 
such  pathetic  sweetness,  is  a child  to  remember. 


MODERN  PAINTING 


289 


An  amusing  story  is  told  of  a child  portrait 
Whistler  attempted  to  paint  for  the  father  of 
four  little  girls.  So  long  was  he  about  the 
task,  that  each  daughter  had  to  sit  for  him  in 
turn,  at  the  desired  age,  and  the  picture  was 
finally  completed  from  the  child  of  a neigh- 
bour. The  painter’s  demand  for  sittings  was 
the  cause  of  much  faultfinding  among  his 
patrons.  It  is  said  that  Sir  Henry  Irving 
posed  twenty  times  for  the  portrait  in  the 
part  of  Philip  II,  each  time  finding  the  canvas 
as  bare  as  at  the  beginning,  except  for  a small 
piece  of  linen.  “ How  is  it,”  he  asked,  “ that 
in  all  this  time  you  have  painted  only  this  piece 
of  linen?”  “Ah,”  said  Whistler,  “who  save 
the  Master  could  have  painted  that  linen? 
Surely  that  is  excuse  enough.”  It  is  said  that 
during  this  sitting  Irving  caught  the  peculiar 
laugh  of  Whistler  and  used  it  effectively  in 
the  part  of  Mephistopheles. 

It  has  seldom  been  given  to  an  artist  to 
paint  childhood  and  old  age  with  equal  suc- 
cess, but  Whistler  achieved  this  feat.  He 
seems  to  have  reserved  all  his  tenderness  for 
the  two  extremes  of  life.  Among  his  most 


290 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


notable  works  are  beautiful  and  sympathetic 
portraits  of  his  mother  and  of  Thomas  Car- 
lyle. Both  pictures  are  designed  on  the  same 
plan:  in  the  interior  of  a room  the  entire 
seated  figure  is  seen  in  profile.  The  bareness 
of  the  surroundings  and  the  severity  of  the 
straight-backed  chair  suggest  the  puritanic 
simplicity  of  both  these  fine  old  natures,  and 
the  linear  composition  accentuates  this  effect. 
Only  the  lace-edged  ties  of  her  cap,  and  the 
touch  of  lace  at  the  wrists,  relieve  the  plain- 
ness of  the  “ Mother’s  ” dress,  which  falls  in 
scanty  folds  about  her.  The  smooth  hair,  the 
folded  hands,  the  lines  about  the  drooping 
mouth,  the  fixity  of  gaze  and  the  inclination  of 
the  head  all  express  an  intensity  of  character 
which  is  almost  poignant.  No  one  but  Henry 
James  could  so  fully  interpret  such  a nature. 
Whistler’s  first  title  for  the  picture  was  44  An 
Arrangement  in  Grey  and  Black,”  describing 
the  colour  scheme,  which  was  too  sombre  to 
call  forth  immediate  enthusiasm.  The  Acad- 
emicians even  classed  it  with  the  black  and 
white  drawings  when  it  was  exhibited.  When 
it  was  at  length  purchased  for  the  Luxem- 


Corporation  Gallery,  Glasgow]  [Whistler 

PORTRAIT  OF  CARLYLE 


MODERN  PAINTING 


291 


bourg  everybody  began  to  praise  it.  Whistler, 
who  always  resented  the  praise  of  any  single 
picture  as  implying  disparagement  of  his  other 
works,  was  impatient  of  the  encomiums  heaped 
upon  the  “ Mother.”  “ Wait,”  he  said,  “ till 
the  Sarasate  is  as  old  as  the  ‘ Mother,’  with  a 
skin  of  varnish  upon  it  that  has  mellowed  — 
then  you  will  call  that  my  chef  d’oeuvre” 

The  Carlyle  portrait  shows  the  philosopher 
sunk  in  a melancholy  revery.  It  is  as  if  he 
had  given  up  the  battle  in  utter  weariness  and 
discouragement,  and  with  mind  and  body  re- 
laxed, had  fallen  into  a sorrowful  apathy. 
Here  we  have  the  pathos  of  the  Chelsea  sage 
without  his  fighting  qualities.  Whistler  was 
for  some  time  a neighbour  of  Carlyle  at  Chel- 
sea, and  the  two  came  to  know  each  other 
well.  Though  following  aims  so  widely  dif- 
ferent, both  were  alike  strenuously  opposed  to 
sham.  The  old  man  was  much  impressed  with 
Whistler’s  professional  outfit,  for  the  painter 
used  brushes  as  big  as  a house-painter’s,  a 
large  canvas,  and  a table  for  a palette.  “ You 
are  indeed  a workman,”  said  the  sitter,  “ for 
your  tools  are  the  tools  of  a workman.”  The 


292 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Carlyle  portrait  was  in  progress  at  the  same 
time  that  little  Miss  Alexander  was  being 
painted.  The  old  man  and  child  met  at  the 
door  one  day  as  the  former  had  just  ended  a 
wearisome  sitting.  “ I am  Miss  Alexander,” 
announced  the  little  girl,  demurely,  “ 1 am 
having  my  portrait  painted.”  “ Puir  lassie, 
puir  lassie,”  said  Carlyle,  compassionately,  as 
he  went  on  his  way.  His  own  comment  on  his 
completed  portrait  was  “ Weel,  man,  you  have 
given  me  a clean  collar,  and  that  is  more  than 
Meester  Watts  has  done.”  Some  years  after 
his  death  Carlyle’s  portrait  was  bought  for 
the  corporation  of  Glasgow.  The  sage  was 
also  painted  by  Sir  John  Millais,  who  made 
him  much  handsomer,  less  rugged,  and  less 
bitter,  though  not  without  a certain  sternness 
and  melancholy. 

The  portrait  work  of  Whistler  suggests  in- 
evitably a comparison  with  that  of  another 
Anglicized  American,  John  Singer  Sargent. 
It  is  not  impossible  to  admire  both  men,  but 
it  is  well-nigh  impossible  to  imagine  a greater 
contrast.  While  Whistler’s  art  is  almost 
feminine  in  delicacy.  Sargent’s  work  is  pro- 


MODERN  PAINTING 


293 


nouncedly  masculine;  the  one  inclines  some- 
what to  the  eccentric  and  anemic,  the  other  is 
sane  and  robust.  While  Whistler’s  portrait 
figures  almost  melt  into  their  environment, 
Sargent’s  fairly  jump  out  of  the  canvas  with 
vitality.  Beside  the  subtle  reticence  of  Whis- 
tler’s folk,  Sargent’s  seem  almost  vulgarly 
self-assertive.  While  the  former  regard  you 
impassively  with  a proud  reserve,  the  latter 
fasten  their  eyes  insistently  upon  you  with  the 
highest  degree  of  intimacy.  The  Whistler 
world  is  one  of  calm  repose,  but  the  Sargent 
atmosphere  is  charged  with  electricity.  Whis- 
tler looked  through  smoke-coloured  glasses, 
and  made  his  patrons  array  themselves  in  all 
sobriety:  but  Sargent’s  subjects  are  gor- 

geously attired  in  extremes  of  fashion  and  the 
painter’s  colour  range  seems  as  wide  as  na- 
ture’s own.  From  time  to  time  each  found 
a sitter  who  was  born,  so  to  speak,  for  his 
special  benefit.  There  is  a singular  correla- 
tion between  subject  and  artist  when  a Sara- 
sate  sits  for  a Whistler  or  a Henry  Higginson 
for  a Sargent,  the  musician  slender,  sensitive, 
poetic,  the  man  of  affairs,  big,  burly,  forceful. 


294  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


To  one  who  has  seen  these  two  portraits,  a 
Higginson  by  Whistler,  or  a Sarasate  by 
Sargent,  is  almost  unthinkable.  Yet  Velas- 
quez, to  whom  both  these  men  have  for  differ- 
ent reasons  been  compared,  might  equally  well 
have  done  either. 

John  Singer  Sargent  is  the  son  of  a Boston 
physician,  but  was  born  in  Florence,  where  his 
father  was  practising  his  profession.  His  ar- 
tistic training  was  in  Paris,  under  Carolus 
Duran.  He  has  for  some  years  lived  in  Lon- 
don, but  making  occasional  visits  to  the  United 
States,  he  is  claimed  by  ties  on  both  sides  of 
the  water.  His  work  is  almost  exclusively  in 
portraiture,  with  the  important  exception  of 
the  mural  paintings  in  the  Boston  Public  Li- 
brary. Since  the  death  of  Whistler  and  Watts 
he  is  entirely  unrivalled  in  his  chosen  field. 
Working  with  great  ease  and  rapidity,  and 
besieged  with  patrons,  he  has  already  pro- 
duced an  immense  number  of  portraits  repre- 
senting the  grand  monde.  No  recent  painter 
has  ever  enjoyed  more  fully  the  appreciation 
of  his  contemporaries  except  perhaps  the  Ger- 
man Lenbach.  At  the  Spring  exhibition  of 


MODERN  PAINTING 


295 


the  Royal  Academy  his  portraits  are  now  the 
most  conspicuous  and  attractive  feature,  and 
the  Sargent  exhibitions  in  Boston,  in  1899  and 
1903,  drew  people  from  all  over  the  country. 

His  most  characteristic  style  is  the  three- 
quarters  figure,  though  he  has  had  to  meet  the 
demand  for  bust  portraits  as  well.  In  full- 
length  figures  he  has  perfect  scope  for  his  best. 
His  bold  brush-work  requires  large  surfaces. 
In  fact,  because  of  their  size  and  broad  exe- 
cution, his  canvases  are  scarcely  suitable  for 
ordinary  houses.  They  are  designed  rather 
for  great  establishments  where  long,  spacious 
galleries  afford  the  proper  distance  for  vision. 
At  the  height  of  his  popularity,  Sargent  has 
naturally  become  something  of  an  autocrat. 
His  prodigious  prices  would  astound  even  the 
keen  Reynolds.  He  usually  has  his  own  way 
in  every  particular  as  to  costume,  pose,  and 
method.  One  can  scarcely  say  whether  his 
preference  is  for  men,  women,  or  children,  so 
facile  and  brilliant  is  his  touch  through  the 
whole  range  of  human  life. 

To  begin  with  children.  The  Honourable 
Laura  Lister  has  become,  like  Whistler’s  Miss 


296 


PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Alexander,  a world  favourite,  to  class  with 
such  masterpieces  as  Velasquez’s  Princess 
Margaret.  The  child  is  dressed  quaintly  in  a 
satin  skirt  which  reaches  to  the  floor,  and  wears 
a mob-cap  over  her  pretty,  short  curls.  The 
shy  sweetness  with  which  she  regards  you  out 
of  her  big  eyes  is  inexpressibly  winning.  Her 
American  counterpart  is  little  Miss  Beatrice 
Goelet,  painted  six  years  before.  She  has  the 
same  picturesque  quaintness  of  dress  — the 
long  full  skirt  — and  the  same  shy  wistfulness 
with  a difference.  There  is  mischief  lurking 
in  the  big  eyes  of  English  child,  but  Beatrice 
is  one  of  the  timid  little  spirits  whose  rare 
charm  only  a great  painter  could  divine.  The 
famous  “ Carnation,  Lily,  Lily,  Rose  ” is 
another  charming  picture  of  child-life.  Two 
little  girls,  in  simple  white  frocks,  stand  amid 
the  tall  lily-stalks  of  the  garden,  intent  upon 
lighting  some  Chinese  lanterns.  The  scheme 
is  like  a tapestry  in  decorative  effect. 

Sargent’s  brilliant  virtuosity  is  inevitably 
associated  with  superb  toilets.  For  the  play 
of  light  on  folds  of  satin,  and  for  the  sugges- 
tion of  diaphanous  draperies,  this  painter  is  a 


Copyright  1898;  from  a Copley  print,  copyright  1898  by  Curtis  & Cameron, 
Publishers,  Boston 

Players’  Club,  New  York]  [Sargent 

PORTRAIT  OF  EDWIN  BOOTH 


MODERN  PAINTING 


297 


very  wizard.  That  he  takes  delight  in  such 
work  is  quite  evident,  and  he  fairly  revels  in 
portrait  groups  where  two  or  three  sisters  in 
evening  drees  make  a radiant  bouquet  of 
colour.  In  such  compositions  there  is  apt  to 
be  some  straining  after  effect:  the  motive 

often  lacks  spontaneity.  Such  for  instance  is 
the  much  admired  Mrs.  Meyer  and  her  Chil- 
dren, and  such  the  Ladies  Acheson,  and  the 
Misses  Hunter. 

But  with  all  his  delight  in  texture  work  and 
sheer  dexterity  Sargent  has  far  higher  gifts 
of  portraiture.  His  characterization  is  so  fine 
that  we  can  read  the  nationality  at  a glance: 
English  or  American,  French  or  Italian  or 
Hebrew.  How  subtly  does  he  distinguish 
between  the  nervous  vivacity  of  the  American 
heiress  and  the  languid  grace  of  the  English 
peeress ; between  the  alert  acumen  of  the 
American  financier  and  the  easy  equipoise  of 
the  English  gentleman.  He  even  suggests 
the  essential  Bostonian  in  the  spare  erect  fig- 
ure of  the  lady  of  Beacon  Hill.  Scholars  like 
Miss  Cary  Thomas,  artists  like  William  M. 
Chase,  actors  like  Booth  and  Jefferson,  Ada 


298  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Rehan  and  Ellen  Terry,  musicians  like  Wolff, 
bear  the  unmistakable  stamp  of  their  profes- 
sional gifts,  with  the  added  touch  of  their  own 
individuality. 

Sargent  is  generally  regarded  as  a remark- 
able psychologist.  Ilis  gift  in  character  reve- 
lation is  sometimes  appalling.  He  discovers 
secrets  with  an  insight  as  searching  as  the 
x ray.  Any  one  with  an  unpleasant  secret 
had  better  keep  away  from  him.  It  is  said 
that  a physician  once  diagnosed  a previously 
unsuspected  malady  from  Sargent’s  portrait 
of  his  patient!  Complaint  is  sometimes  made 
that  in  his  cleverness  at  seizing  a transitory 
expression,  the  painter  crystallizes  a mood 
which  is  too  trivial  for  permanence,  that  his 
art  loses  in  dignity  by  exalting  the  momentary 
above  the  more  lasting  elements.  Such  feats, 
however,  secure  an  amazing  effect  of  lifelike- 
ness. The  expression  fairly  vibrates  on  the 
countenance,  never  hardening  into  setness. 

Scarcely  too  much  can  be  said  of  the  vitality 
of  Sargent’s  portraits.  To  enter  a gallery  of 
his  works  is  like  entering  the  town  hall  at 
Haarlem  among  the  great  portrait  groups  of 


MODERN  PAINTING 


299 


Frans  Hals.  We  come  into  a room  full  of 
living,  breathing,  human  beings.  Wherever 
we  go  their  eyes  follow  us,  smiling,  serious,  or 
intent,  and  as  we  approach  them,  they  seem 
to  speak  to  us.  And  when  we  come  close  to 
the  canvas,  and  find  that  these  creatures  of 
flesh  and  blood  are  composed  of  broad  streaks 
of  paint,  we  feel  that  we  are  witnessing  a 
creative  process  which  is  not  short  of  a miracle. 

Though  deriving  much  from  foreign  study 
and  foreign  residence,  our  American  painters 
are  tending  more  and  more  to  build  up  the 
art  of  portraiture  in  our  own  country.  Will- 
iam M.  Chase  of  New  York  is  the  dean  of 
American  portrait  painters,  the  honoured 
teacher  of  many  of  the  younger  men.  In 
technical  mastery  and  in  real  distinction  many 
of  his  works  deserve  highest  praise.  J.  W. 
Alexander  and  J.  J.  Shannon  are  most  suc- 
cessful in  a style  of  portrait  work  which, 
for  lack  of  a better  term,  is  called  pictorial. 
The  decorative  composition  is  their  raison 
d’Hre.  A certain  sameness  of  type,  and 
that  of  a very  ideal  character,  makes  the 
pictures  less  convincing  as  likenesses.  In 


300  PORTRAIT  PAINTING 


Philadelphia  Miss  Cecilia  Beaux  carries  on 
her  professional  life  with  a force  and  virility 
which  place  her  among  the  leading  portrait 
painters  of  the  day.  Time  would  fail  to 
enumerate  explicitly  the  names  of  the  groups 
in  Boston  and  New  York  who  are  raising 
the  art  of  portrait  painting  to  a higher 
level.  The  annual  exhibitions  show  a growing 
interest  in  this  line  of  work,  and  here  without 
doubt  is  one  of  the  most  promising  fields  for 
the  future  of  American  art. 


THE  END. 


INDEX  OF  ARTISTS 


Alexander,  J.  W.,  American, 
1856  — 

Characteristics,  299 
Angelico,  Fra,  Florentine, 
1387-1455 

Portraits  in  sacred  compo- 
sitions, 6 

Self  portrait,  Orvieto,  7 

Backer,  Jacob,  Dutch,  1608- 
1651 

Corporation  groups,  183 
Baroccio,  Italian,  1528-1612 
Devotion  of  Rubens  to,  127 
Barry,  James,  English,  1741- 

1806 

Place  in  English  School, 
254 

Beaux,  Miss  Cecilia,  Amer- 
ican, living 
Characteristics,  300 
Beechey,  English 
Place  in  English  School, 
254 

Bellini,  Gentile,  Venetian, 

i426(?)-i507 

Characteristics,  49 
Portrait  of  Emperor  Ma- 
homet, 49 
Self  portrait,  49 
Bellini,  Giovanni,  Venetian, 
1428-1516 

Characteristics,  47,  52,  103 


Portraits  of  Doge  Lore- 
dano,  48  and  note 
Bellini,  Jacopo,  Venetian, 
active  1430-1466 
Characteristics,  47 
Boldini,  Italian,  1845  — 
Characteristics,  276 
Portrait  of  Princess  Poni- 
alowski,  276 
Portrait  of  Menzel,  276 
Bonnat,  Leon,  French, 
18  33  — 

Characteristics,  274 
Portrait  of  Leon  Cogniet, 
274 

Portrait  of  Aime  Millet, 
274 

Portrait  of  Cardinal  Lavi- 
gerie,  274 

Portrait  of  Victor  Hugo, 

274 

Portrait  of  Dumas,  274 
Portrait  of  Gounod,  274 
Portrait  of  Thiers,  274 
Portrait  of  Grevy,  274 
Portrait  of  Carnot,  274 
Portrait  of  Pasteur,  274 
Portrait  of  Puvis  de  Cha- 
vannes,  274 

Bordone,  Paris,  Venetian, 
1500-1571 

Characteristics,  73 
I Portrait  of  boy,  74 


302 


INDEX 


Botticelli,  Florentine,  1447- 
1510 

Portraits  in  sacred  compo- 
sitions, 6 
Self  portrait,  7 
Medici  portraits  in  Adora- 
tion, Uffizi,  9 

Portrait  of  Giuliano,  Ber- 
lin, 10 

The  Medallist,  Uffizi,  10 
Portrait  of  Youth,  National 
Gallery,  10 

Portraits  of  Simonetta,  10- 
11 

Portrait  of  Lucrezia  Toma- 
buoni,  1 1 

Portraits  in  frescoes  of 
Sistine  Chapel,  14 

Bronzino,  Italian,  i502(?)- 
1572 

Family  portraits  of  Duke 
Cosimo  and  Eleanor  of 
Toledo,  41 

Portrait  of  Cosimo,  42 
Portrait  of  Eleanor,  42 
Portrait  of  Don  Garcia,  42- 
43 

Le  Brun,  Madame,  French, 
1755-1842 

Characteristics,  223-224,  225 
Portraits  of  Marie  Antoi- 
nette, 224 

Group  of  Queen  with  chil- 
dren, 224 

Portraits  of  self,  225 

Cabanel,  Alexandre,  French, 
1823-1889 

Characteristics,  275 
Portrait  of  Miss  Wolfe, 
275 

Carnevale,  Fra  (Corradini) , 
died  1484 

Work  on  Madonna  in  the 
Brera,  16 

Champaigne,  Philippe  de, 

French,  1602-1674 


Characteristics,  216 
Portraits  in  Louvre,  216 
Portrait  of  Richelieu,  216 
Chase,  Wm.  M.,  American, 
1849  — 

Characteristics,  299 
Clouet,  family  of, 

Works  in  royal  collections, 
209 

Royal  subjects,  210 
Characteristics,  210-21 1 
Clouet,  Francois,  French, 
1 5 12 ( ? ) - 1 572 ( ?) 
Characteristics  d i s t i n - 
guished  from  his  father’s, 
209 

Clouet,  Jean,  French,  earliest 
mention,  1516,  died  1539 
Patronized  by  Francis  I, 
208 

Characteristics  distinguished 
from  Francois,  209 
Coello,  Sanchez,  Spanish, 
died  1590 

Portraits  of  Philip  II  and 
Philip  III,  228 

Constant,  Benjamin, 
French,  1845-1902 
Portrait  of  Queen  Victoria, 
276 

Copley,  J.  S.,  American,  1737- 
1815 

Relation  to  English  School, 
271-272 

Corcos.  Vittorio,  Italian, 

1859  — 

Portrait  of  Carducci,  276 
Cossa,  Francesco  del.  Fer- 
rarse.  flourished  middle 
of  15th  century 
Work  in  Schifanoia  Palace. 
16 

Cruz.  Pantoja  de  la,  Span- 
ish, 1551-1609 
Portraits  of  Philip  II  and 
Philip  HI.  228 


INDEX 


303 


Dou,  Gerard,  Dutch,  1619- 

1675 

Contemporary  of  Hals  and 
Rembrandt,  204 
Duran,  Carolus,  French, 

1837  — 

Characteristics)  275 
La  Dame  au  Gant,  275 
Teacher  of  Sargent,  294 
Durer,  Albert,  German, 
1471-1528 

Characteristics,  x.,  48,  51, 
98,  103,  108-109,  124 
Environment  and  training, 
96-98 

Sketch  of  himself,  98 
Portrait  of  his  father,  98-99 
Portrait  of  his  mother,  99 
Portrait  of  Wohlgemuth  99 
Portrait  of  himself,  1493, 
100 

Portrait  of  himself,  1498, 

100 

Portrait  of  Elector  Fred- 
erick, 10 1 

Tucher  family  portraits, 

101 

Portrait  of  Oswald  Krel, 
101 

Portrait  of  himself,  1500, 
101-102 

Portraits  in  Feast  of  Rose 
Garlands,  102 

Portrait  of  Young  Man  in 
Vienna,  103 

Royal  portraits  in  “ Trium- 
phal Arch,”  104 
Portrait  sketch  of  Maxi- 
milian, 104 

Finished  portraits  of  Maxi- 
milian, 105 

Sketch  and  engraved  por- 
trait of  Cardinal  Albert 
of  Brandenburg,  105 
Engraved  portrait  of  Elec- 
tor Frederick,  105 


Engraved  portrait  of  Pirk- 
heimer,  105 

Engraved  portrait  of  Me- 
lanchthon,  106 
Engraved  portrait  of  Eras- 
mus, 106 

Portrait  of  Bernard  von 
Orley,  106 

Portrait  of  Joachim  Pa- 
tinir,  106 

Portrait  of  Lucas  van  Ley- 
den, 106 

Portrait  of  Jakob  of  Lubek, 

106 

Supposed  portrait  of  Hans 
Imhof,  107 

Portrait  of  man  at  Fenway 
Court,  107 

Portrait  of  Jacob  Muffel, 

107 

Portrait  of  Hieronymus 
Holschuher,  107-108 

Etty,  Wm,,  English,  1787- 
1849 

Place  in  English  School, 
254 

Eyck,  van,  Jan,  Flemish,  died 
1440 

Characteristics,  50,  89 

“ The  Man  with  the  Pinks,” 
50,  87-88 

Portrait  of  George  de  Pala 
in  altarpiece,  86 

Portrait  of  Chancellor  Rol- 
lin  in  altarpiece,  86 

Portrait  of  wife,  86 

Portrait  of  old  man  in 
Vienna,  87 

Portrait  of  man  in  National 
Gallery,  87 

Portrait  of  Arnolfini  and 
wife,  88,  92 

Dyck.  Van,  Sir  Anthony, 
Flemish . 1599-1641 

Characteristics,  viii.,  xi., 


304 


INDEX 


xii.,  46,  144-145,  165-167, 
170,  204,  215,  246-247, 
255,  284 

Portrait  of  Cardinal  Benti- 
voglio,  146-147 
Portraits  of  Marchese  and 
Marchesa  Brignole-Sala, 
148-149 

41  White  Boy,”  149 
Portraits  of  Philippe  Le 
Roy  and  wife,  150 
Portrait  of  Marquis  of 
Moncada,  1 50-1 51 
Portrait  called  Richardot 
and  his  son,  152 
Portrait  of  Madame  de 
Colyns,  152 

Portrait  of  lady  in  Louvre, 
153 

Portrait  of  Anna  Wake, 
153 

Portrait  of  Louisa  van 
Tassis,  153,  164 
Portrait  of  Archduchess 
Isabella,  153-1 54 
Portraits  of  Charles  I,  155, 
156-158,  224 

Portraits  of  Henrietta 
Maria,  156,  158-159 
Portraits  of  Children  of 
Charles  I,  156,  160,  246 
Portrait  of  Prince  Charles, 
160-161 

Portrait  of  Princess  Mary, 
161 

Portrait  of  Prince  James, 
161 

Portrait  of  Princess  Eliza- 
beth, 161 

Portrait  of  Princess  Anne. 
161 

Portrait  of  Wentworth, 
Earl  of  Strafford, 
161 

Portrait  of  James  Stuart, 

163 


Portrait  of  Archbishop 
Laud,  162 

Portrait  of  Lord  Philip 
Wharton,  163 

Portrait  of  Young  Men  of 
Court,  164 

Portrait  of  Venetia  Lady 
Digby,  164 

Portrait  of  Countess  of 
Sunderland,  164 
Portrait  of  Beatrice  Cu- 
sance,  164 

Place  in  the  succession  of 
English  court  painters, 
253 

Influence  on  English  art, 
167,  254,  256,  264 
Eyck,  Van,  The  Brothers, 
Jan  and  Hubert,  Flem- 
ish 

Characteristics,  x.,  85 
Portraits  of  donors  of 
Ghent  altarpiece,  85 

Fildes,  English,  1844  — 
Portrait  work,  281 
Fouquet,  French,  1415- 
1 480 ( ?) 

Portrait  of  Pope  Eugene 
IV,  208 

Francesca,  Pietro  della, 
Italian,  1416-1492 
Portraits  of  Duke  and 
Duchess  of  Urbino,  15 
Portrait  of  Duke  of  Urbino 
in  Madonna,  15.  16 
Portrait  of  Malatesta  of 
Rimini,  16 

Work  in  Schifanoia  Palace 
(destroyed),  16 
Francia,  Francesco,  Bo- 
lognese, 1450-1517 
Characteristics,  21 
Portrait  of  Federigo  Gon- 
zaga,  20 

Lost  portrait  of  Isabella, 
21 


INDEX 


305 


Portrait  of  Evangelista 
Scappi,  21 

Portrait  of  Bartolommeo 
Bianchi,  21 

Portraits  of  unknown  men 
in  Pitti,  21 

Portrait  of  unknown  man 
in  Lichtenstein,  21 
Franciabigio,  Italian , 1482- 

1524 

Portrait  of  the  “Nun” 
attributed  to,  31 

Gainsborough,  Thomas, 
English,  1727-1788 
Characteristics,  viii.,  224, 
250,  262,  264,  270 
The  “ Morning  W a 1 k,” 

262 

Portrait  of  Orpin,  263 
Portrait  of  Elizabeth  Lin- 
ley,  263 

Portrait  of  Mrs.  Graham, 

263 

Portrait  of  Mrs.  Robinson, 
263 

“ Blue  Boy,”  264 
Portrait  of  Duchess  of 
Devonshire,  264 
Portrait  of  Mrs.  Siddons, 
265 

Portrait  of  Mrs.  Robinson, 
265 

Gentile,  da  Fabriano,  Flor- 
entine, i36o(?)-i428 
Self  portrait,  7 
Gerard,  Mark,  Flemish,  16th 
century,  died  before  1604 
At  English  court,  127 
Portrait  of  Queen  Eliza- 
beth, 253 

Ghirlandajo,  Domenico, 
Italian,  1449-1494 
Characteristics,  x.,  6,  12 
Self  portrait,  7 
Contemporary  portraits  in 
frescoes,  12-13 


Tornabuoni  portraits  in 
S.  Maria  Novella,  13 
Portrait  of  Old  Man  and 
Child,  Louvre,  14 

Ghirlandajo,  Ridolfo,  Ital- 
ian 

Portrait  of  “Nun”  at- 
tributed to,  31 
Portrait  of  Goldsmith  as- 
signed to,  31 

Giorgione,  Venetian,  1478- 
1511 

Characteristics,  51-52,  56, 

61,  77 

Portrait  of  Dr.  Parma,  51 
Portrait  of  Ariosto,  51 
The  “ Poet,”  51 
The  “ Three  Ages  of 
Man,”  51 

The  “ Knight  of  Malta,”  52 
Portrait  of  youth  in  Ber- 
lin, 52 

Portrait  of  young  man, 
Buda-Pesth,  52 
Portrait  of  lady  in  Bor- 
ghese,  52 

Goes,  Hugo  van  der,  Flem- 
ish, 1435-1482 
Portinari  portraits  in  altar- 
piece,  93 

Goridigiani,  Italian,  19th  cen- 
tury 

Browning  portraits,  276 

Goya  (Francesco  Jose  de 
Lucientes)  , Spanish, 
1746-1828 

Portrait  work,  250-251 

Gozzoli,  Benozzo,  Florentine, 
1420-1498 

Portraits  in  sacred  compo- 
sitions, 6 

Self  portrait  in  Riccardi 
fresco,  7,  9 

Medici  portraits  in  Riccardi 
frescoes,  8-9 

Greuze,  Jean  Baptiste, 
French,  1725-1805 


306 


INDEX 


Characteristics,  221 
Number  of  portraits,  220 
Portrait  of  Sophie  Ar- 
nould,  221 

Portrait  of  child,  221 
Portrait  of  Madame  Pom- 
padour, 222 

Portrait  of  Louis  XVI,  222 
Portrait  of  Napoleon,  222 

Hals,  Frans,  Dutch , 1581- 
1 666 

Characteristics,  vii.,  viii., 
ix.,  xi.,  180,  186,  194,  196, 
204-206,  236,  256,  271 
Portrait  of  self  and  wife, 
138,  188-189 

Corporation  groups  at 
Haarlem,  172,  178,  179, 
298 

Banquet  of  St.  George 

(1616),  175 

Banquet  of  St.  George 
(1627),  176-177 
Guild  of  St.  Adrian 

(1627),  176-177 
Guild  of  St.  Adrian  (1633), 
1 77 

Guild  of  St.  George 

(1639),  178-179 

Regents  of  St.  Elizabeth’s 
Hospital,  184,  194 
Late  corporation  groups, 
184 

Portrait  of  Hoornebeek, 

187 

Portrait  of  Johannes  Acro- 
nius,  187 

Portrait  of  Van  der  Vinne, 

187 

Portrait  of  Nicolas  Bere- 
steyn,  187 

Portrait  of  Descartes,  187 
Portrait  of  Van  der  Meer 
lady,  194 

Portraits  of  Hille  Bobbe, 
195,  197,  202 


Portraits  of  itinerant  musi- 
cians, 195 

Portraits  of  hilarious  sub- 
jects, 196 

Portraits  with  elusive  ex- 
pression, 196-197 
Portrait  of  Ilpenstein  baby, 
197 

Portrait  of  Willem  van 
Huythuysen,  197 
Portrait  of  Jacob  Olycan 
and  wife,  198 

Visit  from  Van  Dyck,  151- 
152 

Hayter,  Sir  George,  English, 
1792-1871 

Portrait  of  Queen  Victoria, 
281 

Heere,  Lucas  de,  Flemish , 

1534-1584 

Portrait  of  Queen  Eliza- 
beth, 253 

Helst,  Bartholomew  van 
der,  Dutch f 1613-1670 
Characteristics,  179 
Banquet  of  Peace  of  West- 
phalia, 179-180 

Herkomer,  Prof.  Hubert, 
English,  1849  — 

Portrait  work,  281 

Herrera,  Spanish,  1576-1656 
Teacher  of  Velasquez,  229 

Holbein,  Hans,  German, 
I497-IS43 

Characteristics,  x.,  xi.,  xii., 
57,  1 12,  124,  21 1 
Birth  and  training,  no 
Portrait  of  Erasmus,  57, 

H4 

Portrait  sketch  of  Eras- 
mus, in 

Portraits  of  Jacob  Meyer 
and  wife,  hi 

Portraits  of  Meyer  and 
wife  in  Madonna,  112 
Portrait  of  Amerbach, 
112-113 


INDEX 


307 


Woodcut  portrait  of  Eras- 
mus, 1 13 

Three  portraits  of  Eras- 
mus, 1 14 

Woodcut  portrait  of  Eras- 
mus, 114-115 

Portrait  of  Erasmus  in 
Parma,  115 

Miniatures  of  Erasmus, 

115 

Portrait  sketches  of  Sir 
Thomas  More  and 
father,  116 

Portrait  of  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  116 
Portrait  of  Bishop  of 
Rochester,  117 
Portrait  of  Bishop  of  Lon- 
don, 1 17 

Portrait  of  Sir  Henry  Guil- 
ford, 1 17 

Portrait  of  Nicholas 
Kratzer,  117 

Portrait  of  wife  and  chil- 
dren, 1 18 

Portrait  of  George  Gisze, 

119 

Portrait  of  Dirk  Tybis, 

120 

Portrait  of  gentleman  at 
Windsor,  120 

Portrait  of  Jane  Seymour, 
120,  122 

Portrait  of  Christina  of 
Denmark,  120,  122 
Portrait  of  Anne  of  Cleves, 
120,  122- 123 

Portrait  of  Prince  Edward, 

121 

Portrait  of  John  Chambers, 
121 

Portrait  of  Morett,  121 
Portrait  of  Robert  Chese- 
man,  121 

Portrait  of  Thomas  How- 
ard, 121 

The  ambassadors,  121 


Portrait  of  Henry  VIII, 
121 

Influence  at  English  court, 
252-253 

Hoppner,  English,  1757-1810 
Characteristics  and  career, 
268-269 

Jansens,  Flemish,  1593= 
1662 ( ?) 

Work  at  English  court,  253 

Justus  of  Ghent,  Flemish, 
born  1410,  date  of  death 
uncertain 

Work  for  Duke  of  Urbino, 
94 

Kneller,  Sir  Godfrey,  Ger- 
man, 1648-1723 
Work  at  English  court, 
253 

Largilliere,  Nicholas, 
French,  1656-1746 
Characteristics,  214,  216 
Portrait  of  Lebrun,  214 
Works  in  French  galleries, 
214 

La  wrence,  Sir  Thomas, 
English,  1769-1830 
Characteristics,  256,  269, 

270,  271 

Portrait  of  Lady  Blessing- 
ton,  270 

Portrait  of  Lady  Gower, 
270 

Portrait  of  John  Julius 
Angerstein,  270 
Portrait  of  Pope  Pius  VII, 
270 

Lebrun,  Charles,  French, 
1619-1690 

Characteristics,  211-212, 
217 

Lely,  Sir  Peter,  Dutch,  1618* 
1680 


308 


INDEX 


Copy  of  Van  Dyck’s  por- 
trait of  Charles  I,  158 
Work  at  English  court,  253 
Lenbach,  Franz  von,  Ger- 
man, 1836-1903 
Characteristics,  277,  279- 

280 

Portrait  of  Emperor  Will- 
iam, 278 

Portrait  of  Franz  Josef, 
278 

Portrait  of  Theodore 
Mommsen,  278-280 
Portrait  of  Paul  Heyse, 
278 

Portrait  of  Bjornsternc 
Bjc5rnson,  278,  280 
Portrait  of  Frans  Liszt,  278 
Portrait  of  Wagner,  278 
Portrait  of  Count  von 
Moltke,  278,  280 
Portraits  of  Prince  Bis- 
marck, 278-279 
Portrait  of  Queen  Mar- 
gherita,  278 

Portrait  of  Pope  Leo  XIII, 
278 

Popularity  compared  with 
Sargent,  294 

Leonardo,  da  Vinci,  Italian, 
1452-1519 

Characteristics,  vn.,  26-28, 
56,  255 

Lost  portraits  of  Lodovico 
Sforza’s  mistresses,  23 
Lost  portraits  in  S.  Maria 
della  Grazie,  23 
Portrait  of  Mona  Lisa, 
25,  27.  30,  33.  153 
Portrait  drawing  of  Isa- 
bella d’Este,  28-29 
Portrait  drawing  of  him- 
self, 29 

“Belle  Ferroniere”  once 
attributed  to,  31 
“The  Nun”  once  attrib- 
uted to,  31 


The  “ Goldsmith,”  once  at- 
tributed to,  31 
Compared  with  Diirer,  103 
At  the  French  court,  207 
Lippi,  Filippo,  Florentine, 
1406-1463 
Self  portrait,  7 
Lorenzetti,  Ambrogio,  Sien- 
ese, active  1323-1348 
Good  and  Bad  Government, 
3 

Lotto,  Lorenzo,  Venetian, 
1480-1556 

Characteristics,  vii.,  51,  56, 
58,  59,  61,  103 
“ Three  Ages  of  Man  ” 
credited  to,  51 
Portrait  called  Laura  da 
Pola,  56-57 

Portrait  of  Prothonotary 
Julian,  57 

“ Man  with  the  claw,”  58 
Portrait  of  Agostino  and 
Niccolo  della  Torre,  58 
Luini,  Lombard,  1475  ( ?)  - 
IS  33 

Bentivoglio  portraits  in  S. 

Maurizio,  Milan,  32 
Self  portrait  in  frescoes  at 
Saronno,  33 
“ La  Columbina,”  33 

Mantegna,  Francesco,  Man- 
tuan, 1431-1506 
Characteristics,  18,  26 
Portrait  of  Francesco  Gon- 
zaga,  Naples,  18 
Portrait  of  Cardinal  Mez- 
zarata,  Berlin,  18,  88 
Gonzaga  family  portrait 
groups  in  the  Castello, 
19 

Lost  portrait  of  Isabella 
d’Este,  20 

Portrait  of  Duke  of  Gon- 
z a g a in  Madonna, 
Louvre,  20 


INDEX 


309 


Masaccio,  Florentine,  1401- 
1428 

Characteristics,  6,  8 
Self  portrait,  Church  of 
Carmine,  Florence,  7 
Portraits,  in  frescoes,  Flor- 
ence, 7 

Massys,  Quentin,  Flemish, 
? — 1530 

Portraits  of  Carondelet,  95 
Portrait  of  man  in  Frank- 
fort, 95 

Melozzo,  da  ForlI,  Italian, 
1438-1494 

Historical  portrait  compo- 
sition in  Vatican,  22 

Memling,  Hans,  Flemish, 
1477-1495 

Characteristics,  90,  93 
Portraits  of  donors  in  al- 
tarpiece,  Louvre,  90 
Portrait  of  Willem  Morel 
and  family  in  altarpiece, 
Bruges,  91 

Portrait  of  Morel,  91 
Portrait  of  Martin  van 
Nieuwenhove,  91 
Portrait  of  youth  in  Leip- 
zig, 92 

Portrait  of  man  in  Uffizi, 
92 

Portrait  of  man  at  the 
Hague,  92 

Portrait  of  Anton  von  Bur- 
gund,  92 

Portrait  of  Niccolo  Spin- 
elli,  92 

Portrait  of  young  man, 
Cologne,  93 

Portrait  of  man  in  Frank- 
fort, 93 

Memmi,  Simone,  Sienese, 
1285  (?) -1344 
Portrait  of  Laura,  4,  164 

Messina,  Antonello  da, 
Venetian,  about  1444-1493 
Characteristics,  49-50,  52 


The  “ Condottiere,”  50 
Metsu,  G.,  Dutch,  1629-16 67 
Contemporary  of  Hals  and 
Rembrandt,  204 
Michelangelo,  Italian,  1475- 

1564 

Imitated  by  Tintoretto,  74 
Studied  by  Velasquez,  236 
Mierevelt,  Michiel,  Dutch, 
1567-1641 

Anatomy  Lesson,  172 
Contemporary  of  Hals  and 
Rembrandt,  204 
Mignard,  Pierre,  French, 
1610-1695 

Roman  portraits,  213 
Portraits  of  Louis  XIV, 
213 

Millais,  Sir  John,  English, 
1829-1896 

Portrait  work,  281 
Portrait  of  Carlyle,  292 
Moreelse,  Paul,  Dutch, 
1571-1638 

Contemporary  of  Hals  and 
Rembrandt,  204 
Morelli,  Domenico,  Italian, 
1826-1901 

Portrait  of  Quintino  Sella, 
276 

Moretto,  Brescian,  1498  ( ?)  - 
1555 

Characteristics,  78 
Portrait  of  Aretino,  78 
Portraits  in  decorations  of 
Palazzo  della  Fabbrica, 
78 

Portrait  of  Count  Sciarra 
Martinengro,  78-79 
Moro,  Sir  Antonio,  Flemish, 
1525-1578 

Characteristics,  228 
At  the  English  court,  127, 
253 

At  the  Spanish  court,  227 
Portrait  of  Philip’s  first 
wife,  227-228 


310 


INDEX 


Portrait  of  Queen  Mary, 
228,  253 

Morone,  Giovanni  Battista, 
Venetian,  1520-1578 
Characteristics,  viii.,  79 
Portrait  of  Tailor,  79,  80 
Portrait  of  Widower,  80 
Portrait  of  man  in  Uffizi, 
80 

Portrait  of  little  girl  in 

Bergamo,  80 

Mytens,  Daniel,  born  at 
The  Hague  at  end  of 
16th  century,  died  about 
1656 

Work  at  English  court, 
253 

Le  Nain,  brothers  (Louis 
and  Antoine,  died  1648, 
Matthieu,  died  1667), 
French 

Portrait  work,  212 

Nattier,  Jean  Marc,  French, 
1685-1766 

Characteristics,  x.,  219-220 
Russian  portraits,  217 
Picture  of  Battle  of  Pul- 
towa,  217 

Portrait  of  Empress  Cath- 
erine, 218 
Court  portraits,  218 
Portrait  of  Queen  Marie 
Leczinska,  218 
Portrait  of  Madame  Eliza- 
beth, 220 

Portrait  of  Madame  Henri- 
ette,  220 

Portrait  of  Madame 
Sophie,  220 

Portrait  of  Madame 
Louise,  220 

Noort,  Adam  van,  Flemish, 
1557-1641 

Teacher  of  Rubens,  127 

Northcote,  English,  1746- 
1831 


Place  in  English  School, 
254 

Opie,  English,  1761-1807 
Characteristics,  268 
Portrait  of  Charles  Fox, 
268 

Portrait  of  Southey,  268 
Portrait  of  William  Sid- 
dons,  268 

Opinion  of  Lawrence,  270 
Orchardson,  English,  1835  — 
Portrait  work,  281 

Pacheco,  Spanish,  1571-1654 
Teacher  of  Velasquez,  229 
Perugino,  Umbrian,  1446- 

1523 

Portraits  in  sacred  compo- 
sitions, 6 
Self  portrait,  7 
Portraits  in  frescoes  of 
Sistine  Chapel,  14 
Portrait  of  Francesco  delle 
Opere,  Uffizi,  14 
Portrait  of  “ Nun  ” attrib- 
uted to,  31 

Palma,  Venetian,  1480c?)- 
1528 

Characteristics,  53-54,  61 
The  “Poet”  in  the  Na- 
tional Gallery  attributed 
to,  51 

Portraits  of  Violante,  54 
Pickenoy,  Elias,  Dutch, 
1590-1650  or  1656 
Corporation  groups  in  Am- 
sterdam, 171 

Regents  of  House  of  Cor- 
rection, 183-184 
Pinturicchio,  Sienese,  1454- 
I5I3 . . 

Portraits  in  sacred  compo- 
sitions, 6 

Portraits  in  frescoes  of 
Sistine  Chapel,  14 


INDEX 


311 


Portrait  of  boy,  Dresden, 
IS 

Piombo,  Sebastian  del,  Ve- 
netian, about  1485-1547 
Characteristics,  55-56 
Portrait  of  Vittoria  Col- 
onna,  55 

Portrait  of  Andrea  Doria, 

55 

Four  portraits  of  Pope 
Adrian,  55 

Portrait  of  Aretino,  55 
The  “ Fornarina,”  56 
Portrait  called  Dorothea, 

56 

Remark  on  Tintoretto,  75 
Pisanello,  Italian , born  1380, 
latest  date  1448 
Portrait  of  Leonello  d’Este, 
5 

Pontormo,  Italian , 1494-1556 
Characteristics,  40-41 
Bortrait  of  Ippolito  Medici, 
41 

Portrait  of  sculptor,  Uffizi, 
4i 

Portrait  of  old  man,  Pitti, 
4i 

Predis,  Ambrogio  de,  Italian, 
contemporary  of  Leo- 
nardo 

Portraits  in  Ambrosiana,  23 

Raeburn,  Sir  Henry,  Scotch, 
1756-1823 

Characteristics,  271 
Portraits  of  Sir  Walter 
Scott,  271 

Raphael,  Italian,  1483-1520 
Characteristics,  34 
Portraits  of  Angelo  and 
Maddelena  Doni,  33 
Self  portrait,  34 
Portraits  of  Leo  X,  35-36, 

67 

Portrait  of  Cardinal  Bib- 
biena,  37 


Portraits  of  Inghirami, 
37 

Portrait  of  Baldassare  Cas- 
tiglione,  38-39 
Portrait  of  Federigo  Gon- 
zaga  in  frescoes  of  Vat- 
ican, 38 

Portrait  of  Joanna  of  Ara- 
gon, 39 

“La  Donna  Velata,”  39 
Studied  by  Velasquez,  236, 
242 

Invited  to  English  court, 
252 

Ravesteyn,  Dutch , 1572-1657 
Corporation  groups  at  The 
Hague,  171 

Officers  of  Civil  Guard,  174 
Contemporary  of  Hals  and 
Rembrandt,  204 
Rembrandt,  Dutch,  1606-1669 
Characteristics,  viii.,  x.,  xii., 
76,  186,  194,  196,  198,  204- 
206,  250 

Portrait  of  man,  Metropol- 
itan Museum,  New  York, 
vi. 

Anatomy  Lesson,  173- 174 
“Night  Watch,”  180-182, 
184 

Syndics  of  Cloth  Guild, 
184-185,  194 

Portrait  of  Dr.  Tholinx, 
187 

Portrait  of  Herman  Krul, 

187 

Portrait  of  Anslo,  187 
Portrait  of  Berchem,  187 
Shipbuilder,  187 
Portraits  of  self,  189-192 
Portraits  of  Saskia,  193 
Portrait  of  Elizabeth  Bas, 
194,  200 

Portrait  of  shipbuilder 
and  wife,  198-199 
Portraits  of  father  and 
mother,  199-200 


312 


INDEX 


Portraits  of  old  women, 
200-201 

Portraits  of  Jan  Six,  202- 
203 

Etched  portraits  of  old 
men,  203 

Reni,  Guido,  Italian,  1575- 
1642 

Remark  about  Rubens,  131 
Reynolds,  Sir  Joshua,  Eng- 
lish, 1723-1792 

Characteristics,  viii.,  46,  81, 
214,  256,  257,  259,  261, 
270 

Portrait  of  Miss  Bowles, 
258 

Portrait  of  Master  Bun- 
bury,  258 

Portrait  of  Frances  Harris 
258 

Portrait  of  Penelope 
Boothby,  258 

Portrait  of  Countess  Spen- 
cer, 258 

Portrait  of  Mrs.  Payne- 
Gallway,  259 

Portrait  of  Duchess  of 
Devonshire,  259 

Portrait  of  Lady  Cockburn 
and  children,  259 

Portrait  of  Countess  Cros- 
bie,  259 

Portrait  of  Honourable 
Ann  Bingham,  260 

Portrait  of  Nelly  O’Brien, 
260 

Portrait  of  Mrs.  Braddyl, 
260 

Portrait  of  Kitty  Fisher, 
260 


Portrait  of  Lavinia  Bing- 
ham, 260 

Portrait  of  Johnson,  260 
Portrait  of  Lord  Heath- 
field,  260 

Portrait  of  Lawrence 
Sterne,  260 


Portrait  of  Charles  James 
Fox,  260 

Portrait  of  Edmund  Burke, 
260 

Portrait  of  Goldsmith,  260 
Portrait  of  Garrick,  260 
Portrait  of  Duchess  of 
Devonshire,  264 
Portrait  of  Mrs.  Siddons, 
265 

Compared  commercially 
with  Sargent,  295 
Ribera,  Spanish,  1588-1656 
Visited  by  Velasquez,  237 
Rigaud,  Hyacinthe,  French, 

1659-1743 

Characteristics,  214-215,  216 
Portrait  of  Louis  XIV,  215, 
217 

Engraved  portraits,  215 
Romanino,  Brescian,  born 
about  1485,  died  1566 
Characteristics,  77 
Romney,  George,  English, 
1734-1802 

Characteristics,  266-267 
Portraits  of  Emma  Lyon, 
266-267 

Parson’s  Daughter,  267 
Portrait  of  Mrs.  Tickell, 
267 

Portrait  of  Mrs.  Mark  Cur- 
rie, 267 

Rosa,  Salvator,  1615-1673 
Conversation  with  Velas- 
quez, 242 

Roselli,  Cosimo,  Florentine, 
1439-1507 

Mural  decorations,  6 
Rubens,  Peter  Paul,  Finnish 
Characteristics,  x.,  xii.,  46, 
130-131,  137,  143.  144,  170, 
2°4 

Copy  of  Titian’s  portrait  of 
Isabella  d’Este,  70 
Environment  and  training, 
125- 130,  229 


INDEX 


313 


Portraits  of  Albert  and  Isa- 
bella, 131 

Portraits  of  archdukes  in 
altarpiece  of  St.  Ilde- 
fonso,  132 

Portrait  of  Marie  de’  Med- 
ici, 132-133  * 

Portrait  of  Baron  le  Vicq, 
133 

Portraits  of  Duke  of  Buck- 
ingham, 134 

Portrait  of  Gerbier  family, 

135 

Portrait  of  Philip  IV,  136 
Portrait  of  Elizabeth  of 
Bourbon,  136 

Portrait  of  Cardinal  Ferdi- 
nand, 136 

Portrait  of  Rockox,  136 
Portrait  of  “ S c h o 1 a r,” 

136 

Portrait  of  Dr.  Thulden, 
136 

Portrait  group  of  Pitti,  137 
Portrait  of  self  with  Isa- 
bella, 138 

Portrait  of  sons,  138-139 
Portrait  of  self  and  Helena 
in  “ Promenade,”  139 
The  “ Morning  Walk,”  140 
Portrait  of  Helena  in  St. 

Petersburg,  140 
Portrait  of  Helena  in 
Munich,  141 

Portrait  of  Helena  in  Am- 
sterdam, 141 

Portraits  of  Helena  with 
child,  141 

Portraits  of  self,  142 
“ Chapeau  de  Poil,”  225 

Santerre,  French,  1650-1717 
Portrait  of  Duchesse  de 
Bourgogne,  212 
Santvoort,  Dirck,  Dutch, 
1610-1680 

Corporation  groups,  183 


Sargent,  John  Singer, 
American,  1856  — 
Characteristics,  141,  293, 

295,  297,  298-299 
Portrait  of  Henry  Higgin- 
son,  293,  294 

Portrait  of  Hon.  Laura 
Lister,  295 

Portrait  of  Beatrice  Goelet, 

296 

“ Carnation,  Lily,  Lily, 
Rose,”  296 

Portrait  of  Mrs.  Meyer  and 
Children,  297 

Portrait  of  Ladies  Acheson, 

297 

Portrait  of  the  Misses 
Hunt,  297 

Portrait  of  Miss  Thomas, 
297 

Portrait  of  Wm.  M.  Chase, 

297 

Portrait  of  Booth,  297 
Portrait  of  Jefferson,  297 
Portrait  of  Ada  Rehan,  298 
Portrait  of  Ellen  Terry, 

298 

Portrait  of  Wolff,  298 
Sarto,  Andrea  del,  Floren- 
tine, 1486-1531 
At  the  French  court,  207 
SCHOOTEN,  JORIS  VAN,  Dutch, 

1587-1651 

Corporation  groups  at  Ley- 
den, 172 

Shannon,  J.  J.,  American, 
1862  — 

Characteristics,  299 
Shee,  Sir  M.  A.,  English, 
contemporary  of  Reyn- 
olds 

Place  in  English  School,  254 
Signorelli,  Italian,  1441-1523 
Self  portrait,  Orvieto,  7 
Solario,  Andrea,  Italian, 
born  about  1460,  died 
about  1530 


314 


INDEX 


Portrait  of  Christoforo 
Longono,  Louvre,  32 
Portrait  of  Charles  of  Am- 
boise,  Louvre,  32 
Somer,  Van,  Flemish , 1576- 
1621 

Work  at  English  court,  253 
Stuart,  Sir  Gilbert,  Amer- 
ican, 1755-1828 
Relation  to  English  School, 
271-272 

Tintoretto,  Jacopo,  Vene- 
tian, 1518-1592 
Characteristics,  74,  76 
Portrait  of  Aretino,  75 
Portrait  of  Sansovino,  75- 
76 

Portrait  of  Doge  Marcan- 
tonio  Trevisano,  76 
Copied  by  Velasquez,  236 
Titian,  Venetian,  1477-1576 
Characteristics,  viii.,  x.,  xi., 
xii.,  60-61,  69,  72-73,  147, 
255,  284 

Man  with  the  Glove,  vi., 
62 

Portrait  of  Ippolito  Medici, 
4i 

Portrait  of  Dr.  Parma  at- 
tributed to,  51 
Portrait  of  Ariosto  attrib- 
uted to,  51 

Portrait  of  Tommaso 

Mosti,  62 

Supposed  portrait  of  Ales- 
sandro de’  Medici,  62 
Portrait  of  Federigo  Gon- 
zaga,  62-63 

Portrait  of  Doge  Andrea 
Gritti,  63 

Portraits  of  Charles  V,  63- 
64 

Portrait  of  Isabella,  65 
Portraits  of  Philip  II,  65-66 
Portraits  of  Pope  Paul  III, 
66 


Portraits  of  Lavinia,  68-69 
“ Flora,”  69 
La  Bella,  70 

Portraits  of  Duke  and 
Duchess  of  Urbino,  70 
Portrait  of  Isabella  d’Este, 
7° 

Portrait  of  Aretino,  71 
Imitated  by  Tintoretto,  74 
Idolized  by  Van  Dyck  and 
Rubens,  145 

Copied  by  Velasquez,  236 
Troy,  Franqois  de,  French, 
1645-1730 

Portraits  of  ladies,  215 
Tura,  Cosimo,  Ferrarese, 
1432-1495 

Portraits  of  Duke  Borso  in 
Schifanoia  Palace,  16-17 

Valckert,  Werner  van, 
Dutch,  17th  century 
Corporation  groups,  183 
Veen,  Otto  van,  Dutch,  1558- 
1629 

Teacher  of  Rubens,  127 
Velasquez,  Spanish,  1599- 
1660 

Characteristics,  vii.,  ix.,  x., 
xi.,  xii.,  124,  236,  237,  249- 
250,  255,  271 

Portraits  of  Philip  IV,  ix., 
136,  189,  279 

Lady  with  the  Fan,  Wallace 
Collection,  London,  vi., 
247-248 

Environment  and  training, 
228-230 

Equestrian  portrait  of 
Philip  IV,  230 
Full-length  portrait  of 
Philip  IV,  232 
Portrait  of  Don  Carlos, 
232-233 

Portrait  of  Don  Ferdinand, 
232-233 

Portrait  of  Philip  IV,  233 


INDEX 


315 


Portrait  of  Charles  I,  235 
The  “ Topers,”  236 
Surrender  of  Breda,  237 
Equestrian  portrait  of 
Philip  IV,  238 
Equestrian  portrait  of 
Queen  Isabella,  238-239 
Portraits  of  Olivarez,  239 
Portraits  of  Don  Balthasar 
Carlos,  240-241 
Portrait  of  Philip  IV  in 
hunting  costume,  241 
Portrait  of  Montanez,  241 
Portrait  of  Admiral  Pulido, 
241 

Portrait  of  Pope  Innocent 
X,  241-242 

Portraits  of  Queen  Mari- 
ana, 243-244 

Portraits  of  Maria  Theresa, 
243-244 

Portraits  of  Princess  Mar- 
garet, 244-245,  296 
Las  Meninas,  245-246 
Portrait  of  Prince  Philip 
Prosper,  246 

Contrasted  with  Van  Dyck, 
246 

Portrait  of  wife,  248 
Portraits  of  dwarfs  and 
buff 007  248 

Last  portraits  of  Philip  IV, 
248-249 

Whistler  and  Sargent  com- 
pared with,  294 

Verocchio,  Florentine,  1435- 
1488 

Portrait  of  Florentine  girl, 
12  (note) 

Veronese,  Paolo,  Venetian , 
1528-1588 

Characteristics,  80 
Portraits  in  Marriage  at 
Cana,  80-81 

Verspronck,  Joannes,  Dutch, 
1597-1662 

Corporation  groups,  183 


Vivarini,  Alvise,  Venetian, 
active,  1461-1503 
Characteristics,  51,  52 
Vouet,  Simon,  French,  1590- 
1649 

Portrait  work,  212 

Watteau,  Antoine,  French, 
1684-1721 

Influence  on  contemporary 
art,  217 

Watts,  George  Frederick, 
English,  1817-1904 
Characteristics,  viii.,  281- 
282,  283,  285 

Portrait  of  Carlyle,  282,  292 
Portrait  of  John  Stuart 
Mill,  282 

Portraits  of  Tennyson,  282, 
284 

Portrait  of  Matthew  Ar- 
nold, 282 

Portrait  of  Robert  Brown- 
ing, 282 

Portrait  of  Rossetti,  282 
Portrait  of  Sir  Andrew 
Clark,  282 

Portrait  of  Motley,  282 
Portrait  of  William  Morris, 

282 

Portrait  of  Lord  Lytton,  283 
Portrait  of  George  Mere- 
dith, 283 

Portrait  of  Leslie  Stephen, 

283 

Portrait  of  Walter  Crane, 

284 

Portrait  of  Cardinal  Man- 
ning, 284 

Portrait  of  Mrs.  Percy 
Windham,  284 
Portrait  of  Mrs.  Nassau 
Senior,  284 

Portrait  of  Mrs.  Hughes, 
284-285 

Portrait  of  Mrs.  Leslie 
Stephen,  285 


316 


INDEX 


Portrait  of  Lady  Granby, 
285 

Portrait  of  Lady  Mount 
Temple,  285 

Portrait  of  Mrs.  Ellice,  285 
Grouped  with  Whistler  and 
Sargent,  294 

West,  Benjamin,  American, 
1738-1820 

Influence  on  A m er  i c a n 
painters  in  England,  272 

Weyden,  van  der,  Roger, 
Flemish,  1432-1464 
Portrait  of  Philip  the  Good 
in  Adoration  of  Kings,  90 
Portrait  of  Charles  the 
Bold  in  Adoration  of 
Kings,  90 

Whistler,  James  McNeill, 
American,  1834-1903 
Characteristics,  vii.,  285-287, 
293 

The  “Yellow  Buskin,”  286 
An  “ Arrangement  in  Black 
and  Brown,”  287 
The  “ White  Girl,”  287 
The  “ Little  White  Girl,” 
287 

Symphony  in  White,  288 
Portrait  of  Miss  Alexander, 
288,  292,  296 

The  41  Rose  of  Lyme,”  288 


Portraits  of  Henry  Irving, 
289 

Portrait  of  Thomas  Carlyle, 
290,  291-292 

Portrait  of  his  mother,  290- 
291 

Portrait  of  Sarasate,  291, 
293,  294 

Winterhalter,  German, 
1806-1873 

Portrait  of  Louis  Philippe 
and  his  queen,  277 

Portrait  of  King  and  Queen 
of  Belgium,  277 

Portrait  of  Emperor  and 
Empress  of  Russia,  277 

Portrait  of  Napoleon  and 
Eugenie,  277 

Portraits  of  King  Edward 
in  youth,  277 

Wohlgemut,  Michael,  Ger- 
man, 1434-1519 

Teacher  of  Diirer,  98,  99 

Zen  ale,  Italian,  1436-1526 

Portraits  of  Lodovico 
Sforza  and  wife,  in  Ma- 
donna in  Brera,  24 

Zucchero  (or  Zuccaro),  Ital- 
i.in.  1543-1609 

Portrait  of  Queen  Eliza- 
beth, 253 


INDEX  OF  PORTRAITS 


Acheson,  Ladies 
Portrait  by  Sargent,  297 
Acronius,  Johannes 
Portrait  by  Hals  in  Berlin, 
187 

Adrian,  Pope 
Portrait  by  Sebastian  del 
Piombo,  55 


Albert,  of  Austria,  Arch- 
duke of  Netherlands 
Portrait  by  Rubens,  131 
Portrait  by  Rubens  in  al- 
tar-piece of  St.  Ildefonso, 
132 

Albizzi,  Giovanna  degli 
Portrait  by  Ghirlandajo,  12 


INDEX 


317 


Alencon,  Due  D* 

Portraits  by  one  of  Clou- 
ets, St.  Petersburg  and 
Chantilly,  210 
Alexander,  Miss 

Portrait  by  Whistler,  288, 
292,  296 

Amerbach,  Boniface 
Portrait  by  Holbein,  Basle, 
112 

Angelico,  Fra 

Portrait  by  himself,  7 
Angerstein,  John  Julius 
Portrait  by  Lawrence,  Na- 
tional Gallery,  270 
Anne,  of  Cleves 

Portrait  by  Holbein, 
Louvre,  121,  122-123 
Anne,  Princess 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck, 
161 
Anslo 

Portrait  by  Rembrandt  in 
Berlin,  187 
Aretino 

Portrait  by  Sebastian  del 
Piombo,  55 

Portrait  by  Titian,  Pitti, 
7 1 

By  Tintoretto,  75 
By  Moretto,  78 
Ariosto 

Portrait  attributed  to 
Titian  and  Giorgione,  51 
Arnold,  Matthew 

Portrait  by  Watts,  282 
Arnolfini  and  Wife 

Portrait  by  Jan  Van  Eyck, 
National  Gallery,  Lon- 
don, 89,  92 
Arnould,  Sophie 
Portrait  by  Greuze,  Wal- 
lace Collection,  221 
Avalos,  Alfonso  d’ 

Portrait  by  Veronese  in 
Marriage  at  Cana, 
Louvre,  80 


Baldovinetti 

Portrait  by  Ghirlandajo,  12 
Balthasar 
See  Carlos 
Bas,  Elizabeth 

Portrait  by  Rembrandt, 
194,  200 

Bassano,  Jacopo 

Portrait  by  Veronese  in 
Marriage  at  Cana, 
Louvre,  81 
Bastiano 

Portrait  _by  Ghirlandajo, 
12 

Bedford,  William,  Duke  of 
See  Digby 
Bellini,  Gentile 
Portrait  by  himself.  49 
Bentivoglio,  Alessandro 
Portrait  by  Luini  in  deco- 
rations of  S.  Maurizio, 
Milan,  32 

Bentivoglio,  Ippolita 
(Sforza) 

Portrait  by  Luini  in  deco- 
rations of  S.  Maurizio, 
Milan,  32 

Bentivoglio,  Cardinal 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck, 
Pitti,  146 
Berchem 

Portrait  by  Rembrandt, 
Grosvenor  House,  Lon- 
don, 187 

Beresteyn,  Nicolas 
Portrait  by  Hals,  Louvre, 
187 

Bianchi,  Bartolommeo 
Portrait  by  Francia,  pri- 
vate collection,  Eng.,  21 
Bibbiena,  Cardinal 
Portrait  by  Raphael,  37 
Bingham,  Hon.  Ann 
Portrait  by  Reynolds,  260 
Bingham,  Lavinia 

Portrait  by  Reynolds,  260 


318 


INDEX 


Bismarck 

Portraits  by  Lenbach,  189 
(note),  278-279 
Bjornson,  Bjornsterne 
Portrait  by  Lenbach,  278, 
280 

Blessington,  Lady 

Portrait  by  Lawrence, 
Wallace  Collection,  Lon- 
don, 270 

“ El  Bobo,”  Spanish  Dwarf 
Portrait  by  Velasquez, 
Prado,  248 
Bobbe,  Hille 

Portraits  by  Hals,  195,  197, 
202 

Boccaccio 

Portraits  referred  to  by 
contemporary  writers,  4 
Booth,  Edwin 
Portrait  by  Sargent,  297 
Boothby,  Penelope 
Portrait  by  Reynolds,  258 
Botticelli 

Portrait  by  himself,  7 
Bourgogne,  Duchesse  de 
Portrait  by  Santerre,  Ver- 
sailles, 212 
Bowles,  Miss 

Portrait  by  Reynolds,  Wal- 
lace Collection,  258 
Braddyl,  Mrs. 

Portrait  by  Reynolds,  260 
Brandenburg,  Albert  of, 
Cardinal 

Portrait  sketch  and  en- 
graved portrait  by  Diirer, 

105 

Brandt,  Isabella,  Wife  of 
Rubens 
See  Rubens 

Brignole  - Sala,  Marchese 
and  Marches  a 
Portraits  by  Van  Dyck,  148 
Bronzino 

Portrait  by  Pontormo  in 
Cassone  decoration,  41 


Browning,  Robert 

Portrait  by  Gordigiani,  276 
Portrait  by  Watts,  282 
Browning,  Mrs. 

Portrait  by  Gordigiani,  276 
Brun,  Le,  Madame 
Portraits  by  herself : in 

Uffizi,  Louvre  and  else- 
where, 225 

Brun,  Le,  Madame,  Daugh- 
ter of 

Portrait  reproduced  in  il- 
lustration, 225 
Brunellesco 
Portrait  by  Masaccio,  7 
Buckingham,  Duke  of 
Two  portraits  by  Rubens, 
134 

Bunbury,  Master 
Portrait  by  Reynolds,  258 
Burgund,  Anton  von 
Portrait  by  Memling,  92 
Burke,  Edmund 
Portrait  by  Reynolds,  260 

Campbell,  Lady  Archibald 
Portrait  by  Whistler,  286- 
287 

Canterbury,  Archbishop  of 
Portrait  by  Holbein, 
Louvre,  116,  1 17 
Carducci 

Portrait  by  Corcos,  276 
Carlos,  Don 

Portrait  by  Velasquez,  232- 
233 

Carlos,  Don  Balthasar 
Portrait  by  Velasquez  with 
dwarf.  240 

Portrait  in  hunting  cos- 
tume. Velasquez,  Prado. 
240 

Equestrian  portrait  by  Ve- 
lasquez, Prado,  241 
Portrait  at  fourteen  years, 
by  Velasquez,  Prado,  241 
Carlyle,  Thomas 


INDEX 


319 


Portrait  by  Watts,  282, 
292 

Portrait  by  Whistler,  290, 
291-292 

Portrait  by  Millais,  292 
Carnot 

Portrait  by  Bonnat,  274 
Carondelet,  Chancellor 
T wo  portraits  by  Massys, 
95 

Castiglione,  Baldassare 
Portrait  by  Raphael,  38-39 
Catherine,  Empress  of  Rus- 
sia 

Portrait  (unfinished)  by 
Nattier,  218 
Chambers,  John 
Portrait  by  Holbein, 
Vienna,  121 
Charles  of  Amboise 
Portrait  by  Solario, 
Louvre,  32 
Charles  the  Bold 
Portrait  by  Van  der  Wey- 
den in  Adoration  of 
Kings,  90 

Charles,  Prince  of  Wales 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck,  160- 
161 

Charles  I,  King  of  Eng- 
land 

Portraits  by  Van  Dyck, 

155,  156,  189,  224 
Threefold  portrait  by  Van 

Dyck,  156 

Equestrian  portrait  by  Van 
Dyck,  157 

Portrait  in  hunting  cos- 
tume by  Van  Dyck,  157 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck 
copied  by  Lely,  158 
Portrait  by  Velasquez,  235 
Charles  I,  King  of  Eng- 
land, Children  of 
Portraits  by  Van  Dyck, 

156,  160-161,  246 
Charles  IV,  King  of  Spain 


Portrait  by  Goya,  251 
Charles  V,  Emperor 
Portrait  standing  by  Titian, 
in  Madrid  Gallery,  64 
In  armchair,  by  Titian, 
Munich,  64 

Equestrian  portrait  by 
Titian,  Madrid,  64 
Portrait  by  Veronese  in 
Marriage  at  Cana, 
Louvre,  80 

Charles  IX,  King  of  France 
Portraits  by  one  of  Clou- 
ets, Vienna  and  the 
Louvre,  210 
Chase,  William  M. 

Portrait  by  Sargent,  297 
Chavannes,  Puvis  de 
Portrait  by  Bonnat,  274 
Cheseman,  Robert 
Portrait  by  Holbein,  The 
Hague,  121 

Christina,  of  Denmark 
Portrait  by  Holbein,  Na- 
tional Gallery,  120,  122 
Cimabue 

Portrait  in  frescoes  of 
Spanish  Chapel,  4 
Clark,  Sir  Andrew 
Portrait  by  Watts,  282 
Cockburn,  Lady 
Portrait  by  Reynolds,  Na- 
tional Gallery,  259 
Cocq,  Frans  Banning,  Cap- 
t a 1 n of  Amsterdam 
Musketeers 

Portrait  by  Rembrandt  in 
Sortie  of  Civic  Guard, 
181 

Cogniet,  L£on 
Portrait  by  Bonnat,  274 
COLONNA,  V ITTORIA 

Portrait  by  Sebastian  del 
Piombo,  55 
Colyns,  Madame  de 
Portrait  bv  Van  Dyck  with 
child,  Munich,  152 


320 


INDEX 


Corder,  Miss  Rosa 

Portrait  by  Whistler,  287 
Crane,  Walter 

Portrait  by  Watts,  283 
Crivelli,  Lucrezia 

Lost  portrait  by  Leonardo 
da  Vinci,  23 
Crosbie,  Countess 

Portrait  by  Reynolds, 
259 

Currie,  Mrs.  Mark 
Portrait  by  Romney,  267 
Cusance,  Beatrice  de 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck, 
Windsor  Castle,  164 

Dante 

Portrait  in  Bargello  fresco, 
4 

Portraits  referred  to  by 
contemporary  writers,  4 
Descartes,  French  Philos- 
opher 

Portrait  by  Hals,  Louvre, 
187 

Devonshire,  Duchess  of 
Portrait,  with  child,  by 
Reynolds,  259 
Portrait  by  Reynolds,  full 
length,  264 

Portrait  by  Gainsborough, 
264 

Digby,  George,  Earl  of  Bris- 
tol 

Portrait  with  William, 
Duke  of  Bedford,  by 
Van  Dyck,  Althorp,  Eng., 
164 

Venetia,  Lady 
Portrait  l>>  Wan  Dyck, 
Windsor  Castle,  164 
Donatello 

Portrait  by  Masaccio,  7 
Don  1,  Angelo 
Portrait  by  Raphael,  Pitti, 
33 

Doni,  Mapdelena 


Portrait  by  Raphael,  Pitti, 

33 

Doria,  Andrea 
Portrait  by  Sebastian  del 
Piombo,  Doria  Gallery, 
Rome,  55 
Dorothea 

Portait  by  Sebastian  del 
Piombo,  Berlin  Gallery, 

56 

Dumas 

Portrait  by  Bonnat,  274 
Duran,  Madame  Carolus 
Portrait  by  Duran,  275 
DOrer,  Albert 
Portrait  drawing  by  him- 
self, Albertina,  Vienna, 

98 

Portrait  by  himself,  1493, 
Felix  Coll.,  Leipzig,  100 
Portrait  by  himself,  1498, 
Uffizi,  Florence,  100 
Portrait  by  himself,  1500, 
Munich,  101-102 
Portrait  by  himself  in 
Feast  of  Rose  Garlands, 
102 

DOrer,  Albert,  Father  of 
Portrait  by  Diirer,  98-99 
DOrer,  Albert,  Mother  of 
Portrait  sketch  by  Diirer, 

99 

Edward,  Prince  of  Wales 
Portrait  by  Holbein,  121 
Edward  VII,  King  of  Eng- 
land 

Portraits  in  youth  (Prince 
of  Wales),  by  Winter- 
halter, 277 

Eleanor,  Queen  of  France 
Portrait  by  Veronese  in 
Marriage  at  Cana, 
Louvre,  80 

By  one  of  the  Clouets, 

210 

Eleanor  of  Toledo 


INDEX 


321 


Portrait  by  Bronzino,  Uffizi, 
4 2 

Elisabeth  of  Bourbon 

Portrait  by  Rubens,  Mu- 
nich, 136 

Elizabeth  of  Austria 
Portraits  by  one  of  Clouets, 
Chantilly  and  Louvre,  210 
Elizabeth,  Princess 

Portrait  by  Van  Dyck,  161 
Elizabeth,  Queen  of  Eng- 
land 

Portrait  by  Lucas  de  Heere, 
253 

By  Mark  Gerard,  253 
By  Zucchcro,  253 
Elizabeth,  Madame,  French 
Princess 

Portrait  by  Nattier,  Ver- 
sailles, 220 
Ellice,  Mrs. 

Portrait  by  Watts,  285 
Erasmus 

Portrait  by  Holbein  in 
Louvre,  57,  114 
Engraved  portrait  by 
Durer,  106 

Portrait  sketch  by  Holbein, 

Woodcut  portrait  by  Hol- 
bein, 1 13 

Three  portraits  by  Holbein, 

Wood-cut  portrait  by  Hol- 
bein, 114-115  „ , 

Portrait  in  Parma  by  Hol- 
bein, 1 15 

Miniatures  by  Holbein,  115 
Este,  Beatrice  d’ 

Lost  portrait  by  Leonardo, 
S.  Maria  della  Grazie,  23 
Portrait  by  Zenale,  in  Ma- 
donna, 24 

Este,  Borso  d\  Duke  of 
Ferrara 

Portraits  by  Cosimo  Tura, 

1 7 


Este,  Isabella  d* 

Lost  portrait  by  Mantegna, 

20,  28 

Lost  portrait  by  Francia, 

21,  28 

Portrait  drawing  by  Leo- 
nardo, 28-29 

Portrait  by  Rubens  after 
Titian  (Vienna),  70 
Este,  Leonello  d\  Duke  of 
Ferrara 

Portrait  by  Pisanello,  5 
Eugene  IV,  Pope 
Portrait  by  Fouquet,  208 
Eugenie,  Empress  of  France 
Portrait  by  Winterhalter, 
2 77 

Eyck,  Van,  Wife  of 
Portrait  by  Jan  Van  Eyck, 
86 

Farnese,  Cardinal 

Portraits  by  Titian,  Cor- 
sini,  Rome,  and  Naples, 
66 

Portrait  in  group  with 
Paul  III.,  Naples,  67 
Ferdinand,  Cardinal 

Portrait  by  Rubens,  Mu- 
nich, 136 

By  Velasquez,  232-233 
Ficino 

Portrait  by  Ghirlandajo,  12 
Fisher,  Kitty 

Portrait  by  Reynolds, 
Lenox  Gallery,  New 
York,  260 

Fourment,  Helena,  Second 
Wife  of  Rubens 
See  Rubens 
Fox,  Charles  James 
Portrait  by  Reynolds,  260 
Portrait  by  Opie,  268 
Francis  I,  King  of  France 
Portrait  by  Veronese  in 
Marriage  at  Cana, 
Louvre,  80 


322 


INDEX 


Portraits  by  the  Clouets ; 
equestrian,  Uffizi ; bust, 
Louvre ; head,  Chantilly. 
Frederick,  " the  W i s e” 
Elector 

Portrait  by  Diirer,  Berlin 
Gallery,  ioi 

Engraved  portrait  by 
Diirer,  105 

Gaddi 

Portrait  in  frescoes  of 
Spanish  Chapel,  4 
Gallerani,  Cecilia 
Lost  portrait  by  Leonardo 
da  Vinci,  23 
Garcia,  Don 
See  Medici 
Garrick 

Portrait  by  Reynolds,  260 
Gentile,  da  Fabriano 
Portrait  by  himself,  7 
Gerbier  Family 

Portrait  by  Rubens,  135 
Ghirlandajo,  David 

Portrait  by  Domenico  Ghir- 
landajo, 12 

Ghirlandajo,  Domenico 
Portrait  by  himself,  7 
Gisze,  George 
Portrait  by  Holbein,  119- 
120 

Goelet,  Miss  Beatrice 
Portrait  by  Sargent,  296 
Goldsmith,  Oliver 

Portrait  by  Reynolds,  260 
Gonzaga,  Eleanora,  Duch- 
ess op  Urbino 
Idealized  portrait  by  Titian 
as  La  Bella,  Pitti,  70 
Companion  portrait  to 

Duke  of  Urbino,  by 

Titian.  Uffizi,  70 
Gonzaga,  Federigo 

Portrait  by  Francia,  20 
Portrait  by  Raphael  in  Vat- 
ican frescoes,  38 


Portrait  by  Titian,  Madrid, 
62-63 

Gonzaga,  Francesco,  Car- 
dinal 

Portrait  by  Mantegna,  Na- 
ples, 18 

Portrait  in  Castello  fres- 
coes by  Mantegna,  19 
Gonzaga,  Francesco,  Mar- 
chese 

Portrait  by  Mantegna  in 
Madonna  of  Victory,  20 
Gonzaga,  Lodovico,  Mar- 
chese 

Portrait  by  Mantegna  in 
Castello  frescoes,  19 
Gounod 

Portrait  by  Bonnat,  274 
Gower,  Lady 

Portrait  by  Lawrence,  Staf- 
ford House,  London. 
270 

Gozzoli,  Benozzo 

Portrait  by  himself,  7 
Graham,  Hon.  Mrs. 

Portrait  by  Gainsborough, 
263 

Granby,  Lady 

Portrait  by  Watts,  285 
Gr£vy 

Portrait  by  Bonnat,  274 
Gritti,  Doge  Andreas 
Portrait  by  Titian,  Vienna, 

63 

Grotius 

Portrait  by  Rubens  in 
group,  137 

Guilford,  Sir  Henry 
Portrait  by  Holbein,  Wind- 
sor, 1 17 

Hallet,  Squire,  and  Wife 
Portrait  by  Gainsborough. 
262 

Hamilton,  Lady 
See  Lyon,  Emma 
Haaring 


INDEX 


323 


Etched  portrait  by  Rem- 
brandt, 203-204 
Hals,  Frans 

Portrait  by  himself  with 
wife,  138,  188-189 
Harris,  Frances 
Portrait  by  Reynolds,  258 
Heathfield,  Lord 
Portrait  by  Reynolds,  Na- 
tional Gallery,  260 
Henrietta  Maria,  Queen  of 
England 

Portraits  by  Van  Dyck,  156, 

158 

Portrait  by  Van  Dyck  with 
Geoffrey  Hudson,  pri- 
vate collection,  Eng., 

159 

Henriette,  Madame,  French 
Princess 

Portrait  by  Nattier,  Ver- 
sailles, 220 

Henry  II,  King  of  France 
Portraits  by  one  of  Clouets, 
Louvre  and  Windsor, 
210 

Henry  VIII,  King  of  Eng- 
land 

Portrait  (lost)  by  Holbein, 
121 

Heyse,  Paul 
Portrait  bv  Lenbach,  278 
Higginson,  Henry 
Portrait  by  Sargent,  293, 

294 

Holbein,  Wife  of 
Portrait  by  Holbein,  118 
Holschuher,  Hieronymus 
Portrait  by  Diirer,  Berlin, 
107-108 

Hoornebeek,  Professor  in 
University  of  Leyden 
Portrait  by  Hals,  Brussels, 

187 

Howard,  Thomas 

Portrait  by  Holbein,  Wind- 
sor, 121 


Hudson,  Geoffrey,  Dwarf 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck  with 
Queen  Henrietta  Maria, 
159 

Hughes,  Mrs. 

Portrait  by  Watts,  284-285 
Hugo,  Victor 
Portrait  by  Bonnat,  274 
Hunter,  The  Misses 
Portrait  by  Sargent,  297 
Huythuysen,  Willem  van 
Portrait  by  Hals,  197 

Ilpenstein,  Baby 
Portrait  by  Hals,  197 
Imhof,  Hans 

Supposed  portrait  by  Diirer, 
107 

Inohirami 

Portraits  by  Raphael,  37, 
38 

“Inglese,”  Spanish  Dwarf 
P o r t r a it  by  Velasquez, 
Prado,  248 
Innocent  X,  Pope 
Portrait  by  Velasquez, 
Doria  Gallery,  Rome,  241- 
242 

Irving,  Sir  Henry 
Portrait  by  Whistler,  289 
Isabella  of  Bourbon,  Queen 
of  Spain 

Equestrian  portrait  by  Ve- 
lasquez, Prado,  238- 
239 

Isabella,  Clara  Eugenia, 
Archduchess  of  Neth- 
erla  nds 

Portrait  by  Rubens,  131 
Portrait  by  Rubens  in  altar- 
piece  of  St.  Ildefonso, 
132 

Portrait  by  Van  Dyck, 
Turin,  153-154 
Isabella,  Empress 
Portrait  by  Titian,  Madrid 
Gallery,  65 


324 


INDEX 


James,  Duke  of  York 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck,  161 
Jefferson,  Joseph 

Portrait  by  Sargent,  297 
Joanna  of  Aragon 

Portrait  by  Raphael, 
Louvre,  39 
Johnson,  Samuel 

Portrait  by  Reynolds,  Na- 
tional Gallery,  260 
Jonghe,  Clement  de 
Etched  portrait  by  Rem- 
brandt, 203 

Josef,  Franz,  Emperor  of 
Germany 

Portrait  by  Lenbach,  278 
Juan,  of  Austria,  Don 
Portrait  by  Velasquez, 
Prado,  248 
Julius  II,  Pope 
Portrait  by  Raphael,  Uffizi, 
35 

Portrait  by  Raphael  in 
frescoes  of  Vatican,  35 
Portrait  bust  by  Michel- 
angelo, 35 

Portrait  by  Diirer  in 
Feast  of  Rose  Garlands, 
102 

See  also  Giuliano  della 
Rovere 

Justinian,  Emperor 
Mosaic  portrait  in  S.  Vitale, 
Ravenna,  2 

Kratzer,  Nicholas 
Portrait  by  Holbein, 
Louvre,  1 17 
Krel,  Oswald 
Portrait  by  Diirer,  Munich, 
101 

Krul,  Herman,  Dutch  Poet 
Portrait  by  Rembrandt  at 
Cassel,  187 

Landino 

Portrait  by  Ghirlandajo.  12 


Laud,  Archbishop 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck,  pri- 
vate coll.,  Eng.,  162 
Laura 

Portrait  by  Memmi,  4,  164 
Lavigerie,  Cardinal 
Portrait  by  Bonnat,  274 
L a v 1 n 1 a , Daughter  of 
Titian 

Portrait  by  Titian,  Berlin 
Gallery,  68 

Portrait  by  Titian  with 
fan,  Dresden  Gallery,  68 
Two  later  portraits  in 
Dresden  and  Vienna,  69 
Lebrun 

Portrait  by  Largilliere, 
214 

Leo  X,  Pope 

Portrait  by  Raphael,  Pitti, 
35-36,  67 

Portrait  by  Raphael  in 
frescoes  of  Vatican,  36 
Leo  XIII,  Pope 
Portrait  by  Lenbach,  278 
Leonardo,  da  Vinci 
Portrait  drawing  by  him- 
self, 29 

Leopold,  King  of  Belgium, 
and  His  Queen 
Portraits  by  Winterhalter. 
277 

Leyden,  Lucas  van 
Portrait  by  Diirer,  106 
Linley,  Elizabeth 

Portrait  by  Gainsborough, 
263 

Lippi.  Filippo 

Portrait  by  himself,  7 
Lipsrus 

Portrait  by  Rubens  in 
group,  137 
Liszt,  Frans 
Portrait  by  Lenbach,  278 
London,  Bishop  of 

Portrait  by  Holbein,  Wind- 
sor, 1 17 


INDEX 


325 


Longono,  Christoforo 

Portrait  by  Andrea  Solario, 
Louvre,  32 
Loredano,  Doge 

Portrait  by  Bellini  in  Na- 
tional Gallery,  48 
In  Dresden  Gallery  and 
Bergamo,  48  (note) 

Louis  XIV,  King  of  France 
Portraits  by  Mignard,  213 
Portrait  by  Rigaud,  Louvre, 
215,  217 

Louis  XVI,  King  of  France 
Portrait  by  Greuze,  222 
Louis  Philippe  and  His 
Queen 

Portraits  by  Winterhalter, 
277 

Louise,  Madame,  French 
Princess 

Portrait  by  Nattier,  Ver- 
sailles, 220 
Lubek,  Jakob  of 

Portrait  by  Diirer,  106 
Luini 

Portrait  by  himself  in  fres- 
coes at  Saronno,  33 
Lutma,  Jan 

Etched  portrait  by  Rem- 
brandt, 203 

Lyon,  Emma  (afterward 
Lady  Hamilton) 
Portraits  by  Romney,  266- 
267 

Lytton,  Lord 
Portrait  by  Watts,  283 

Mahomet,  Emperor 
Portrait  by  Gentile  Bellini, 
49 

Malatesta,  of  Rimini 
Portrait  by  Pietro  della 
Francesca,  16 
Manning,  Cardinal 
Portrait  by  Watts,  283 
Margaret,  Spanish  Princess 
Portraits  by  Velasquez,  full 


length,  Vienna,  half- 
length,  Louvre,  244-245 

Portrait  by  Velasquez  in 
Las  Meninas,  245 
Margherita,  Queen  of 
Italy 

Portrait  by  Lenbach,  278 
Maria,  Spanish  Princess, 
and  Queen  of  Hungary 

Portrait  by  Velasquez, 
Prado,  234,  237 
Maria  Theresa,  Spanish 
Princess 

Portraits  by  Velasquez, 
Prado,  Vienna  and 
Louvre,  243-244 
Mariana,  of  Austria, 
Queen  of  Spain 

Portrait  by  Velasquez, 
Prado,  243-244 

Marie  Antoinette,  Queen 
of  France 

Portraits  by  Madame  Le 
Brun,  224 

Portrait  by  Madame  Le 
Brun  in  group,  Ver- 
sailles, 224 

Marie  Leczinska,  Queen  of 
France 

Portrait  by  Nattier,  Ver- 
sailles, 218 

Martinengro,  Count  Sci- 
arra 

Portrait  by  Moretto,  78-79 
Mary  (Tudor),  Queen  of 
England 

Portrait  by  Veronese,  in 
Marriage  at  Cana, 
Louvre,  80 

By  Sir  Anthony  Moro, 
228,  253 
Mary  Stuart 

Portrait  by  one  of  the 
Clouets,  Wallace  Collec- 
tion, 210 
Mary,  Princess 

Portrait  by  Van  Dyck,  161 


326 


INDEX 


Masaccio 

Portrait  by  himself,  7 
Masolino 

Portrait  by  Masaccio,  7 
Maximilian,  Emperor 
Portrait  by  Diirer  in  Feast 
of  Rose  Garlands,  102 
Portrait  sketch  by  Diirer, 
104 

Oil  portrait  by  Diirer,  105 
Water-colour  portrait  by 
Diirer,  105 

Two  woodcut  portraits  by 
Diirer,  105 

Maximian,  Archbishop 
Portrait  in  mosaic  at  Ra- 
venna, 2 

Medici,  Alessandro  de’ 
Supposed  portrait  by  Ti- 
tian, 62 

de’  Medici,  Catherine, 
Queen  of  France 
Portrait  by  one  of  Clouets, 
Czartaryski  Gallery,  St. 
Petersburg,  210 
Cosimo,  pater  patriae 
Portrait  by  Benozzo  Goz- 
zoli  in  Riccardi  fres- 
coes, 8 

Portrait  by  Botticelli  in 
Adoration  of  Kings,  9 
Cosimo  (I,  Grand  Duke) 
Portrait  by  Bronzino, 
Pitti,  42 
Garcia 

Portrait  by  Bronzino, 
Uffizi,  4 2 
Giovanni 

Portrait  by  Botticelli  in 
Adoration  of  Kings,  9 
Giulia  no 

Portrait  by  Botticelli  in 
Adoration  of  Kings,  9 
By  Botticelli,  9-10 
Ippolito 

Portrait  by  Pontormo, 
4i 


Portrait  by  Titian,  Pitti, 
4i 

Lorenzo,  the  Magnificent 
Portrait  by  Benozzo  Goz- 
zoli  in  Riccardi  fres- 
coes, 8,  9 

Portrait  by  Ghirlandajo, 
12 

Marie,  Queen  of  France 
Portrait  by  Rubens,  132- 
133 

Piero  (son  of  Cosimo,  pa- 
ter patriae ) 

Portrait  by  Benozzo  Goz- 
zoli  in  Riccardi  fres- 
coes, 8 

Piero  (son  of  Lorenzo) 
Portrait  by  Botticelli,  as 
“Medallist,”  10 
Meer,  Van  der,  Lady 

Portrait  by  Hals,  194 
Melanchthon, 

Engraved  portrait  by 
Diirer,  106 
Mellini,  Pietro 

Portrait  bust  by  Benedetto 
da  Majano,  6 
Mem  mi 

Portrait  in  frescoes  of 
Spanish  Chapel,  4 
Menzel 

Portrait  by  Boldini,  276 
Meredith,  George 

Portrait  by  Watts,  283 
Meyer,  Mrs.  and  Children 

Portrait  by  Sargent,  297 
Meyer,  Jacob 

Portrait  by  Holbein,  Basle, 
hi 

Portrait  by  Holbein  in  Ma- 
donna, 112 
Meyer,  Wife  of 

Portrait  by  Holbein,  Basle, 
hi 

Portrait  by  Holbein  in  Ma- 
donna, 1 12 

Mezzarata,  Cardinal 


INDEX 


327 


Portrait  by  Mantegna,  18, 

88 

Mill,  John  Stuart 
Portrait  by  Watts,  282 
Millet,  Aime 
Portrait  by  Bonnat,  274 
Moltke,  Count  von 
Portrait  by  Lenbach,  278, 
280 

Mommsen,  Theodore 
Portrait  by  Lenbach,  278, 
280 

Mona  Lisa  (La  Gioconda) 
Portrait  by  Leonardo  da 
Vinci,  25,  27,  30,  33,  153 
Moncada,  Marquis  of 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck, 
Louvre,  151 

Montanez,  Spanish  Sculp- 
tor 

Portrait  by  Velasquez, 
Prado,  241 
More,  Sir  John 
Portrait  sketch  by  Holbein, 
1 16 

More,  Sir  Thomas 
Family  group  portrait 
(lost)  by  Holbein,  116 
Portrait  sketch  of,  by  Hol- 
bein, 1 16 
Morel,  Willem 
Portrait  by  Mending,  91. 
Portrait  by  Memling,  with 
family  as  donors,  in 
altar-piece,  91 
Morett,  Hubert 
Portrait  by  Holbein,  Dres- 
den, 121 

Morris,  William 
Portrait  by  Watts,  282 
Mosti,  Tommaso 
Portrait  by  Titian,  Pitti, 
62 

Motley 

Portrait  by  Watts,  282 
Muffel,  Jacob 


Portrait  by  Diirer,  Berlin, 
107 

Napoleon,  First  Consul 
Portrait  by  Greuze,  222 
Napoleon  (III),  Emperor 
of  France 

Portrait  by  Winterhalter, 

277 

Nassau,  Justin  of 

Portrait  by  Velasquez  in 
Surrender  of  Breda, 
Prado,  237 

Nicholas  I,  Emperor  of 
Russia 

Portrait  by  Winterhalter, 
277 

Nieuwenhove,  Martin 
Portrait  by  Memling,  91 
Normandie,  Due  de 
Portrait  by  Madame  Le 
Brun  in  group  with 
Marie  Antoinette,  Ver- 
sailles, 224 

O’Brien,  Nelly 

Portrait  by  Reynolds,  260 
Olivarez,  Count  Duke 
Portraits  by  Velasquez, 
239 

Equestrian  portrait,  by  Ve- 
lasquez, Prado,  239 
Olycan,  Jacob 

Portrait  by  Hals,  198 
Olycan,  Jacob,  Wife  of 
Portrait  by  Hals,  198 
Opere,  Francesco  delle 
Portrait  by  Perugino,  14 
Orley,  Bernard  von 
Portrait  by  Diirer,  106 
Orpin,  Parish  Clerk 

Portrait  by  Gainsborough, 
National  Gallery,  263 
Ottavio 

Portrait  by  Titian  in  group 
with  Paul  III,  Naples, 
67 


328 


INDEX 


Pabillos  de  Valladolid 
Portrait  by  Velasquez, 
Prado,  248 

Pala,  George  de,  Canon 
Portrait  by  Jan  Van  Eyck 
in  altar-piece,  86 
Parma,  Dr. 

Portrait  attributed  to  Ti- 
tian and  Giorgione,  51 
Pasteur 

Portrait  by  Bonnat,  274 
Patinir,  Joachim 
Portrait  by  Diirer,  106 
Paul,  St. 

Portraits  in  church  decora- 
tion, 2 

Portrait  belonging  to  St. 
Chrysostom,  2 
Paul  III,  Pope 
Portraits  by  Titian,  Naples 
and  St.  Petersburg,  67 
Portrait  by  Titian  in  group, 
Naples,  67 

Payne  - Gallway,  Mrs. 

Portraits  by  Reynolds,  259 
Perugino 

Portrait  by  himself,  7 
Peter,  St. 

Portraits  in  church  decora- 
tion, 2 
Petrarch 

Portraits  referred  to  by 
contemporary  writers,  4 
Philip  II 

Portrait  by  Titian,  in  ar- 
mour, Madrid  Gallery,  66 
Portrait,  Munich,  65 
Philip  II,  King  of  Spain 
Portraits  by  Sanchez  Co- 
ello,  228 

By  Pantoja  de  la  Cruz,  228 
Philip  III,  King  of  Spain 
Portraits  by  Sanchez  Co- 
ello,  228 

By  Pantoja  de  la  Cruz,  228 
Philip  IV,  of  Spain 


Portrait  by  Rubens,  Mu- 
nich, 136 

Portraits  by  Velasquez,  ix., 
xii.,  189,  279 

Equestrian  portrait  by  Ve- 
lasquez, 230 

Full-length  portrait  by  Ve- 
lasquez, 232 

Portrait  by  Velasquez, 

233 

Equestrian  portrait  by  Ve- 
lasquez, Prado,  238 
Portrait  in  hunting  cos- 
tume by  Velasquez, 
Prado,  241 

Last  portraits  by  Velas- 
quez, 248-249 
Philip  the  Good 
Portrait  by  Van  der  Wey- 
den in  Adoration  of 
Kings,  90 

Philip  Prosper,  Spanish 
prince 

Portrait  by  Velasquez,  Vi- 
enna, 246 
PlRKHEIMER 

Portrait  by  Diirer  in  Feast 
of  Rose  Garlands,  102 
Engraved  portrait  by 
Diirer,  105 
Pius  VII,  Pope 
Portrait  by  Lawrence, 
Windsor  Castle,  270 
Platina 

Portrait  in  historical  com- 
position by  Melozzo  da 
Forli,  22 
Pola,  Laura  da 
Supposed  portrait  by  Lotto, 
56-57 

POLIZIANO 

Portrait  by  Ghirlandajo, 
12 

Pompadour,  Madame  de 
Portrait  by  Greuze,  221 
Ponialowski,  Princess 
Portrait  by  Boldini,  276 


INDEX 


329 


Pontormo 

Portrait  by  Bronzino  in 
composition,  Christ  in 
Limbo,  Uffizi,  41 

PORTINARI,  FAMILY 

Portraits  by  Hugo  van  der 
Goes  in  altar-piece,  93 

El  Primo,  Spanish  dwarf 
Portrait  by  Velasquez, 
Prado,  248 

Pulido,  Spanish  admiral 
Portrait  by  Velasquez,  Na- 
tional Gallery,  241 

Raphael 

Portrait  by  himself,  Uffizi, 
34 

Rehan,  Ada 

Portrait  by  Sargent,  298 

Rembrandt 

Portraits  by  himself,  xii., 
189-192 

Portrait  by  himself  with 
Saskia,  194 

Rembrandt,  Father  of 
Portraits  by  Rembrandt, 
200 

Rembrandt,  Wife  of 
See  Saskia 

Rembrandt,  Mother  of 
Portraits  by  Rembrandt, 
199-200 

Reyniers,  Lysbeth,  Second 
Wife  of  Frans  Hals 
See  Hals 

Riario,  Pietro 

Portrait  in  historical  com- 
position by  Melozzo  da 
Forll,  22 

Richardot 

Supposed  portait  by  Van 
Dyck,  Louvre,  152 

Richelieu 

Portrait  by  Philippe  de 
Champaigne,  216 

Ridolfi,  Lorenzo 
Portrait  by  Masaccio,  7 


Rimini  ~ 

See  Mala  testa 
Robinson,  Mrs. 

Portrait  by  Gainsborough, 
Wallace  Collection,  263 
Portrait  by  Romney,  Wal- 
lace Collection,  266 
Rochester,  Bishop  of 
Portrait  by  Holbein,  Wind- 
sor, 117 

R 0 c k 0 x , Burgomaster  of 
Antwerp 

Portrait  by  Rubens,  Ant- 
werp Museum,  136 
Rollin,  Chancellor 
Portrait  by  Van  Eyck  in 
altar-piece,  86 
Rossetti 

Portrait  by  Watts,  282 
Rovere,  Giulia  no  della 
(afterward  Pope  Julius 
n) 

Portrait  in  historical  com- 
position by  Melozzo  da 
• Forli,  22 
Also  see  Julius  II 
Le  Roy,  Philippe 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck, 
Wallace  Collection,  150 
Le  Roy,  Philippe,  Wife  of 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck, 
Wallace  Collection,  150 
Rubens,  , Albert 
Portrait  by  Rubens,  with 
his  brother  Nicholas, 

138-139 

Portrait  by  Rubens  in  the 
“ Promenade,”  139 
Rubens,  Helena  (Four- 
ment) 

Portrait  by  Rubens  with 
himself  in  “ Promenade,” 
139 

Portrait  by  Rubens  in 
“Morning  Walk,”  140 
Portrait  by  Rubens  in  St. 
Petersburg,  140 


330 


INDEX 


Portraits  by  Rubens  in 
Munich  and  Amsterdam, 
141 

Portraits  by  Rubens  with 
child,  141 

Rubens,  Isabella  (Brandt) 
Portrait  by  Rubens  with 
himself,  138,  188 

Rubens,  Nicholas 
Portrait  by  Rnbens,  138-139 

Rubens,  Peter  Paul 

Portrait  by  himself  in 
group,  137 

Portrait  by  himself  with 
wife,  Isabella,  138,  188 
Portrait  by  himself  in 
“ Promenade,”  139 
Portrait  by  himself  in 
“ Morning  Walk,”  140 
Two  portraits  by  himself 
in  Uffizi,  142 

Portrait  by  himself  in  Vi- 
enna, 142 

Rubens,  Philip 
Portrait  by  Rubens  in 
group,  137 

Russia,  Emperor  and  Em- 
press of 

Portraits  by  Winterhalter, 
277 

Salutati,  Bishop 
Portrait  bust  by  Mino  da 
Fiesole,  6 

Sansovino 

Portrait  by  Tintoretto,  Uf- 
fizi, 75-76 

Sarasate 

Portrait  by  Whistler,  291, 

294 

Saskia,  Wife  of  Rembrandt 
Portraits  by  Rembrandt, 

193-194 

Sassetti,  Francesco 
Portrait  by  Ghirlandajo, 
12 

Scappi,  Evangelista 


Portrait  by  Francia,  Uffizi, 
21 

Scott,  Sir  Walter 
Portraits  by  Raeburn,  271 
Sebastian,  Spanish  dwarf 
Portrait  by  Velasquez, 
Prado,  248 

Senior,  Mrs.  Nassau 
Portrait  by  Watts,  284 
Severino,  Giangaleazzo  di 
San 

Supposed  portrait  attrib- 
uted to  Ambrogio  de 
Predis,  23 

Seymour,  Jane,  Queen  of 
England 

Portrait  by  Holbein,  120, 
122 

Sforza,  Battista 
See  Duke  of  Urbino 
Sforza,  Bianca 
Supposed  portrait  attrib- 
uted to  Ambrogio  de 
Predis,  23 
Sforza,  Ippolita 
See  Bentivoglio 
Sforza,  Lodovico  (II  Moro) 
Lost  portrait  by  Leonardo 
in  S.  Maria  della  Grazie, 

23 

Portrait  by  Zenale  in  Ma- 
donna of  Brera,  24 
Siddons,  Mrs. 

Portrait  by  Reynolds,  265 
Portrait  by  Gainsborough, 
National  Gallery,  265 
Siddons,  William 
Portrait  by  Opie,  268 
Signorelli 

Portrait  by  himself,  7 
Simonetta,  Vespucci 
Portraits  by  Botticelli,  10- 

Six,  Jan 

Portraits  by  Rembrandt, 

202-203 

Sixtus  IV,  Pope 


INDEX 


331 


Portrait  in  historical  com- 
position by  Melozzo  da 
Forll,  22 
SoLYMAN  I 

Portrait  by  Veronese  in 
Marriage  at  Cana, 
Louvre,  80 

Sophie,  Madame,  French 
Princess 

Portrait  by  Nattier,  Ver- 
sailles, 220 
Southey 

Portrait  by  Opie,  268 
Spencer,  Countess 
Portrait  by  Reynolds,  258 
Spinelli,  Niccolo 
Portrait  by  Memling,  92 
Spinola,  Marquis  of 
Portrait  by  Velasquez  in 
Surrender  of  Breda, 
Prado,  237 
Stephen,  Leslie 
Portrait  by  Watts,  283 
Stephen,  Leslie,  Mrs. 

Portrait  by  Watts,  285 
Sterne,  Lawrence 
Portrait  by  Reynolds,  260 
Stuart,  Mary 
See  Mary 
Bernard,  Lord 
Portrait  with  Lord  John 
by  Van  Dyck,  Cobham 
Hall,  Eng.,  164 
James,  Duke  of  Lenox 
and  Richmond 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck, 
163 

John,  Lord 
See  Lord  Bernard 
Sunderland,  Countess  of 
Portraits  by  Van  Dyck, 
Devonshire  House,  Al- 
thorp  and  elsewhere,  164 
Sylvius,  Dutch  Preacher 
Etched  portrait  by  Rem- 
brandt, 203 


Tailor 

Portrait  by  Morone,  79 
Tassis,  Louisa  van 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck,  Vi- 
enna, 153,  164 
Temple,  Lady  Mount 
Portrait  by  Watts,  285 
Tennyson,  Alfred,  Lord 
Portraits  by  Watts,  282, 
284 

Terry,  Ellen 
Portrait  by  Sargent,  298 
Theodora,  Empress 
Mosaic  portrait  in  S.  Vi- 
tale, Ravenna,  2 
Thiers 

Portrait  by  Bonnat,  274 
Tholinx,  Dr. 

Portrait  by  Rembrandt, 
private  collection  in 
France,  187 
Thomas,  Miss  Cary 
Portrait  by  Sargent,  297 
Tijulden,  Dr. 

Supposed  portrait  by  Ru- 
bens, Munich,  136 
Tickell,  Mrs. 

Portrait  by  Romney,  267 
Tintoretto 

Portrait  by  Veronese  in 
Marriage  at  Cana, 
Louvre,  81 
Titian 

Portrait  by  himself,  in  il- 
lustration, 61 

Portrait  by  Veronese  in 
Marriage  at  Cana, 
Louvre,  81 
Toledo,  Eleanor  of 
See  Eleanor 
Tornabuoni,  Lucrezia 
Portrait  by  Botticelli,  11 
Family  portraits  by  Ghir- 
landajo  in  S.  Maria  No- 
vella, 13 

Torre,  Agostino  and  Nic- 
colo 


332 


INDEX 


Portrait  by  Lotto,  Na- 
tional Gallery,  London, 
58 

Trevisano,  Doge  Marcan- 

TONIO 

Portrait  by  Tintoretto, 
Staedel  Institute,  Frank- 
fort, 76 

Tucher  Family 

Portraits  by  Diirer,  Wei- 
mar, 101 
Tulp,  Dr. 

Portrait  by  Rembrandt  in 
Anatomy  Lesson,  173, 
187 

1 ybis,  Dirk 

Portrait  by  Holbein,  120 
Uberti 

Portrait  in  frescoes  of 
Campo  Santo,  Pisa,  3 
Urbino,  Federico,  Duke  of 
Portrait  by  Pietro  della 
Francesca,  Uffizi,  15 
By  Justus  of  Ghent,  94 
Wife  of  (Battista 
Sforza) 

Portrait  by  Pietro  della 
Francesca,  Uffizi,  15 
Portrait  by  Justus  of 
Ghent,  94 

Francesco  (Maria  della 
Rovere)  (Duke) 
Portrait  by  Titian,  Uffizi, 
70 

See  also  Gonzaga,  Elea- 
nora 

Velasquez 

Portraits  by  himself,  250 
Velasquez,  Wife  of 

Portrait  by  Velasquez, 
Berlin,  248 
Veronese 

Portrait  by  himself  in  Mar- 
riage at  Cana,  Louvre, 
81 


Vespucci,  Amerigo 

Portrait  by  Ghirlandajo, 
12 

SlMONETTA 

See  Simonetta 
Le  Vicq,  Baron 
Portrait  by  Rubens,  133 
Victoria,  Queen  of  Eng- 
land 

Portrait  by  Benjamin  Con- 
stant, 276,  280 
Vinne,  Van  der 
Portrait  by  Hals  in  Dres- 
den, 187 
Viola  nte 

Portrait  by  Palma  in  Vi- 
enna, 54 

Idealized  portraits  by 
Palma,  54 

Vyt,  Jodocus  and  wife 
Portraits  by  Van  Eyck 
brothers,  Berlin,  85 

Wagner 

Portrait  by  Lenbach,  278 
Wake,  Anna 

Po-trait  by  Van  Dyck, 
The  Hague,  153 
Warham,  William 
Sec  Canterbury,  Arch- 
bishop of 

Wentworth,  Earl  of  Straf- 
ford 

Portrait  by  Van  Dyck,  pri- 
vate coll.,  Eng.,  161- 
162 

Wharton,  Philip,  Lord 
Portrait  by  Van  Dyck,  St. 
Petersburg,  163 
Whistler,  J.  M.,  Mother  of 
Portrait  by  Whistler,  290- 
291 

William  (I),  Emperor  of 
Germany 

Portrait  by  Lenbach  278 
Windham.  Mrs  Percy 
Portrait  by  Watts,  284 


INDEX 


333 


WOHLGEMUT 

Portrait  by  Diirer,  Munich, 
99 

Wolfe,  Miss  Catherine 


Portrait  by  Carolus  Duran, 
275 
Wolff 

Portrait  by  Sargent,  298 


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